Crossness
Crossness is a place in south-east London. It is situated in the London Borough of Bexley, close to the southern bank of the River Thames, to the east of Thamesmead, and north-west of Erith.
It is the location of a large sewage treatment works and a Victorian pumping station created at the eastern end of the Southern Outfall Sewer as part of the London sewerage system designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette and constructed between 1859 to 1865.
The Crossness Pumping Station was officially opened by the Prince of Wales in April 1865 and the Beam Engine House is now a Grade 1 Listed building featuring spectacular ornamental ironwork - it has been described as "A masterpiece of engineering – a Victorian cathedral of ironwork" by Nikolaus Pevsner. Today it is managed by the Crossness Engines Trust, a registered charity. Some of the adjoining grazing marsh provides a valuable habitat for creatures ranging from moths to small amphibians and water voles.
 | This London location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |