Reservoir digs well worth a lookout

But a unique property up for sale in Yorkshire shows that working from home was an option as long ago as 1912.

That was when a three-bedroom house was custom- built to enable a reservoir manager to get out of bed and straight into work.

The detached property is situated by the side of Midhope reservoir, on the outskirts of Sheffield, and has a look-out tower attached, allowing the site manager to oversee works taking place below.

And after nearly a century of Yorkshire Water employees living in it, the house has this week been put up for auction.

"We've never had one like it before," said Edward Tabner, who works in the auctioneer's office at Wilbys, the chartered surveyors which is handling the property.

He added: "It's certainly architecturally interesting. It was originally built for the manager to watch over workers on the reservoir and we believe it was last used properly in the 1950s.

"But as techniques advanced there was no longer a requirement to have someone on site and it was then let to Yorkshire Water's employees."

As the reservoir could be maintained remotely, the tower lost its intended purpose and no one has been up there for at least 20 years.

The loft hatch into the east-facing tower remains accessible, though, and would-be buyers should be attracted by the aerial observatory on offer.

The stone-brick house will go under the hammer on October 6 at the Bluebell Inn in Dodworth, Barnsley and is expected to fetch between 380,000 and 400,000.

But, as Mr Tabner explained, the unusual nature of the building makes it difficult to accurately estimate a price.

"It's unique, and therefore difficult to determine what the true value should be," he said. "We hope it will make the guide price. Until you get in the room you're never certain how it will sell."

Midhope reservoir, which the tower overlooks, needs no such

modernisation, despite being built eight years before the house. The reservoir is 106 years old and is in full working order, supplying drinking water to the region.

Labourers took seven years to complete the earth-filled dam, which cuts across the Hagg Brook, a tributary of the River Don. When at top capacity the surface area of the reservoir measures 206,000 square metres.

The lookout tower is not the only sign of the house's initial function.

It also has a sitting room which originally doubled as the manager's office. The retained stable-style doors would split open to allow the huddle of water workers in to pick up their wages.

There are two other sitting rooms, both featuring an original Edwardian open fire place, as well as a pantry, kitchen and rear utility room.

On the first floor there are three double bedrooms and a bathroom with a cast iron bath.

The house is situated in three- quarters of an acre of land, surrounded by evergreen shrubbery.

"I would imagine it would be an attractive proposition to people that aspire to live in the countryside or perhaps semi-retired, affluent people that want a bit of clean air," Mr Tabner said.

Wilbys has been showing groups of people round the house, situated near the hamlet of Upper Midhope, about once a week. But Mr Tabner is certain that in better economic times the property would attract daily interest.

Unusual homes for auction

The reservoir house in Upper Midhope is not the only unusual property made available to the public by Yorkshire Water.

In February of this year a former water tower in Wheldrake, near York, was put up for auction with Eddisons Property Auctions.

Despite the land only having planning permission for a water tower and no vehicle access, the Leeds-based firm of chartered surveyors sold it for 28,000, almost 50 per cent more than its guide price.

Earlier this month a former water treatment works in Elslack, Skipton, was sold by Eddisons for 82,000. The 1.16 acres attached to the site enticed bids of 7,000 more than the asking price.

The Pirate Cottage in Hornsea has no such links to Yorkshire Water. The 200-year-old house is on the market for 300,000.