Trentham Open-Air Swimming Pool

In the early 1930’s the Trentham Estate undertook various works to improve its attraction to visitors. This included a new gatehouse and a miniature railway. The plans for a new swimming pool were to come to fruition in 1935. Work started in February of that year.

The pool was 132ft by 60ft and was between 3ft and 8ft 3in. deep. There was a 15ft diving board, three springboards and a water chute.

The pool was fed from a nearby spring, via a filter, where the water was fed into the boiler house via a 20” pipe where it was heated to a comfortable 65-70deg. F. The water then fed from the deep end into the adjacent lake, so no chlorination was used.

The surrounding buildings included a large café, 60’ x 21’ with kitchens. A clock with fish as hands hung over the entrance but this disappeared after the pool was closed.

The opening ceremony was attended by over 1,000 spectators with the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland in attendance. The opening ceremony was carried out by the Lord Mayor of Stoke on Trent, Alderman A C Harvey, JP.

Two local swimmers provided an exhibition: Norman Wainwright and Bob Leivers, both Olympians.

The pool remained popular for many years, with some visitors arriving by the miniature railway on the site but it started to decline in the late 1970’s. Part of the decline was due to coal mining activities in the region and the pool suffered from subsidence and cracking. In 1979, the estate was put up for sale by the Countess of Sutherland, after 200 years in family ownership. It was purchased in 1981 by the then owner of Alton Towers, who planned to refurbish the pool with retractable roof, but it never happened and the National Coal Board purchased the land in 1984. The demolished to pool in 1986.

Acknowledgement to the Trentham Heritage Project.