Return to Thruscross Reservoir: The Village Under the Lake

In the summer of 2022 - one of the driest years on record - I made a video about Thruscross Reservoir and the ruins of a submerged village which can be seen during extremely dry periods. Two years later, in one of the rainiest summers we've seen, I've returned to see just how much it's changed - and what it can tell us about climate, infrastructure, and heritage.

Additional images sourced from Laurence A (1992), West End: A Sunken Village.

[animalauntiebev]

Thank You for preserving our history, Catherine. You are absolutely right, there is definitely a spooky vibe about the place. Dad landed a job with the forestry commission and we almost became residents in West End. As a small child, I can still remember visiting the village after it had been flooded and also visiting it again during a really hot spell in the late 1970's
It was rather haunting. During the drought, there were stand pipes in the street and people had to queue up just to collect water

[johnherbert]

You're still doing super videos Catherine. I visited Thruscross in 2022 after seeing your video and it's a great memory. I'm inspired now to make a return visit. A good excuse for a good walk . It's lovely up there. Thanks to Simon too .

[Tehomet]

If I understand correctly, only two households were displaced by this reservoir, even so, that detail about the exhumation and relocation of the bodies in the churchyard is sad. The information about the Welsh village that was drowned is sadder. Fascinating stuff as ever. Thank you!

[dazp]

I actually love any content that is available in regards to this reservoir, I actually worked under the dam to repair the pipes, and when our work was finished there was a white water rafting event held,
Also the building of this dam made yorkshire have a huge supply of water

[andrewjfulker]

This is such a professional quality report; it looks and feels like it should be on the BBC. Good work Catherine, and your team.

[geoffrobertson]

I’m a child of the 60s who grew up not too far from here so the woods and reservoirs where our play ground and we where well aware of the history of this place and you are right it has an air of spookyness or something similar.Great video which brought back happy memories.

[whiteonggoy]

Miss warr, thanks the video, educational and interesting, more please.

[stellarshadeofblue]

This is very similar story to a US town called Monument City, Indiana. I learned about this on a museum trip. The townspeople were relocated and the the fate of the town was left to be submerged by a new reservoir also.

[jackcade]

I remember you from your Google+ channel! Glad to see you again.

[alansmithee]

A'reyt Catherine. I used to pass tankers of water endlessly filling Pennine reservoirs in the drought in the 1990s.
I remember two such years in the mid 1970s.
I have tried to comment about your videos on YouTube where appropriate and sent a couple of links, but it is usually as a reply. Other YouTubers do not want their videos to just be a way to promote stuff that is not their own, so I try to make sure it makes sense.

[jimbaird]

Very informative and interesting video. Well and thoughtfully presented, thank you.

[TheNineRealms]

Very interesting! Keep them coming :) 👍🏻

[SimnTrains]

Really loving the camera work in this video and that heatwave of 2022 was a b***h but at least it gave a chance of a ruined village. Great video Catharine

[SemiLobster]

Water management isn't the most exciting topic but its one of the most important in the 21st century.

[thegreenphantom]

Reasonable reclamation of land for resources as in for the greater good of all is good but sad in the case of towns and villages that no longer exist as a result, a very touchy subject. And just as touchy, historical let's put it this way, so long as it's been documented it will never be forgotten and perhaps in the future with better technology and understanding of said resources the town you've featured will be once again dry and as vibrant as the best days of yore. Nothing is ever forgotten so long as there are eager minds with a thirst for knowledge to remember.

[joannebell]

I'm here after being heartbroken after seeing Thruscross yesterday for the first time since 2019 after the moved away from the area 😢 I didn't know what had happened, I only saw 2 other on my walk, so gutted not to be able to walk down by the brook before you go up onto the moors

[secondplaceman]

Great video, thank you for the content you have made over the years. I have learned so much! I was wondering if you have looked much at Cromwell Bottom (near Brookfoot, between Brighouse and Elland). That is very close to where I grew up and I know it has a lot of civil war history. I would be super interested to learn more about the history of the area. Keep up the good work! ❤

[thatguyinelnorte]

Nice. Water security might be improved by building a few desalinization plants around the larger cities. It could be done powered partly by wind, solar, and tidal energy. They have done these things in may areas around the world and they can have a pleasant look and a reasonable carbon footprint.

[neiloflongbeck]

We used to have water security. Then came water privatisation and the selling off of reservoirs.

[peterhewson]

Totanka Yotanka (Sitting Bull) said that nothing lasts forever, only the earth and the mountains. Certainly not those man made.