Bladon Cascade
Seen in the manicured grounds of Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site, the picturesque cascade is at the confluence of the Rivers Evenlode and Glyme (and the downstream exit from the Great Lake). I do not know of a name for the delicate little bridge seen below the cascade. The building beside it is a pump house.
The 3.2m-high dam, originally constructed by the renowned Georgian landscape architect Lancelot Capability Brown in 1760, was rebuilt over 20 weeks in 2009 at a cost of over £100,000, following evidence of weaknesses becoming very apparent.
In 2014, the year after my visit, a 10m Archimedean screw was built into the dam (on the right above, amidst the large boulders) to harness the energy from the cascade and to supply homes within the Palace estate with 78,000 kWh of renewable energy per year.
The screw is turned as water flows through it, activating the turbine and harnessing up to 87% of the energy from the falling water. The screw was selected for its low impact on the river’s ecosystem and its efficient energy production. It was estimated at the time that it would save some £15,000-18,000 in energy costs - no doubt a lot more today in light of current price rises!
Bladon Cascade
Seen in the manicured grounds of Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site, the picturesque cascade is at the confluence of the Rivers Evenlode and Glyme (and the downstream exit from the Great Lake). I do not know of a name for the delicate little bridge seen below the cascade. The building beside it is a pump house.
The 3.2m-high dam, originally constructed by the renowned Georgian landscape architect Lancelot Capability Brown in 1760, was rebuilt over 20 weeks in 2009 at a cost of over £100,000, following evidence of weaknesses becoming very apparent.
In 2014, the year after my visit, a 10m Archimedean screw was built into the dam (on the right above, amidst the large boulders) to harness the energy from the cascade and to supply homes within the Palace estate with 78,000 kWh of renewable energy per year.
The screw is turned as water flows through it, activating the turbine and harnessing up to 87% of the energy from the falling water. The screw was selected for its low impact on the river’s ecosystem and its efficient energy production. It was estimated at the time that it would save some £15,000-18,000 in energy costs - no doubt a lot more today in light of current price rises!