Heritage in Blubberhouses

A look at the history of Thruscross Reservoir, with Dr Emma Wells

Thruscross Reservoir in the Washburn Valley hides the haunting remains of the lost village of West End beneath its waters. Built in the 1950s and completed in 1966 to supply growing Yorkshire cities with water, the reservoir transformed the landscape forever, displacing farms, homes, and even a churchyard. During dry summers, traces of the submerged settlement still emerge from the receding water, offering a glimpse into a vanished Yorkshire community.