The engineer for the Rivington reservoirs was Thomas Hawksley and construction for the Liverpool Corporation Waterworks took place between 1852 and 1857. The Lower Rivington reservoir has two dams - the Millstone Embankment, which is 2,120 feet (646 m) long and 40-foot (12.2 m) high, and the Horwich Embankment, which is 1,660 feet (506 m) long and 61-foot (18.6 m) high. Filter beds were constructed at the foot of the Horwich Embankment, The original sand filters were replaced by a new treatment plant from where a pipeline runs to the service reservoirs at Eccleston, St Helens. The River Douglas was diverted through a paved channel in a deep cutting into Lower Rivington.[1]
On the Rivington bank of the reservoir is a folly which is a replica of Liverpool Castle, and to the south-west is the Headless Cross at Grimeford Village. There is an activity centre offering watersports and land-based activities on the Anderton bank of the reservoir.[3]
