The Georgian Waterwheel
The Waterwheel
Paxton House was one of the first houses in Scotland to pump water from a local spring up to a storage tank at the top of the house, using cutting edge 18th century technology developed in the Industrial Revolution. Come and see Scotland’s only surviving 18th century domestic waterwheel and watch it in action.
The Waterwheel
Working Waterwheel
Come and watch the waterwheel turn. It runs most days from March to October between 1pm and 2pm, but please check with the shop on 01289 385780 before you arrive.
The Georgian Waterwheel
Water for the House
When John Adam designed Paxton House for Patrick Home in 1756, architect and owner made special provision for supplying fresh water from the spring in the Paxton Dene. This was far sighted at a time when little was understood about water borne diseases and water quality was perceived as either ‘fresh’ or ‘foul’. Paxton House was one of the first houses in Scotland to pump water from a local spring up to a storage tank at the top of the house. The system harnessed the power of pioneering technology in the form of a beam engine with a horse powered wheel as a back up. Renewable energy Georgian style.
The Georgian Waterwheel
Restoration
The remnants of the original mechanism were buried by a flood in 1948, but we were fortunate a very similar system was discovered at nearby Blackadder. This last surviving water wheel and pump were kindly donated to the Paxton Trust by Blair Harrower, meaning this historically important machinery could be saved and conserved with thanks to the funding bodies featured below and the tireless efforts of our team of volunteers.
The Georgian Waterwheel
Exhibition & Booklet
Explore our exhibition The Waterwheel Wall off the courtyard opposite the Stables Tearoom to learn more about one of the oldest domestic water supply systems in Scotland. The exhibition tells the story of the restoration project as well as showcasing different methods used to pump spring water upwards over 20 metres to the main buildings of Paxton House, including the horse drawn gin, hydram pump and electric pumps.
A booklet with a full history of the waterwheel and its amazing rescue is available from the Gift Shop.
Please note that access to the waterwheel site is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or prams.