Groudle Glen Water Wheel

A small picturesque water wheel dating back to 1893, built by Broadbent to pump water up to the nearby Groudle Hotel.

Later in its life the water wheel was converted to power fairy lights in the glen, from hydro-electricity, which ran all the way to the Groudle Glen Railway.

Restorations

Over the years the wheel has needed numerous repairs and renovations, in 1954 the wheelhouse was rebuilt following a resurgence of visitors to the glen.

1994 saw the wheel refurbished by Laxey Towing Co.

Following a storm in 2002 the wheel was damaged leaving the wheel non-functional and sorry state until in 2020 the wheel house was totally rebuilt by EG Services, funded by MMD a mining engineering firm.
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  • Little Isabella

    After 2020 restoration, attribution: DroneSurvey.im

  • Groudle Glen Hotel above Wheel

    Attribution: iMuseum.im

  • Old Post Card

    Attribution: iMuseum.im

  • Damage after the 2001 Storm

  • 2020 Restoration Work

    MMD Mining Engineering
Trivia

The wheel was featured in the TV series Lovejoy, treasure was found hidden in a wheel paddle.

The nickname Little Isabella is derived from Lady Isabella, the full-sized Laxey Wheel, the name was first used on Lovejoy.

The Glen features a miniature railway which runs on Sundays. This railway once transported victorian visitors to a Sea Lion and Polar bear display.



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