1933 - 1936
Cheddar Reservoir
Constructed on a flat moor below the Mendip Hills, the Cheddar Reservoir in Somerset covers 250 acres and is capable of holding 1,350 million gallons of water.
Around 250 men worked on the project which included construction of a 2.2 mile long cut-off trench designed to limit loss of water from the reservoir. A huge feat of engineering, the trench, which was six foot wide and up to 60ft deep, was excavated mainly by hand using pneumatic drills and spades.