176 FORESTS, WOODS, AND TREES 



II. Northumberland and Durham 



Two local authorities and two private companies obtain 

 their water supply from gathering grounds in these two 

 counties. The gathering grounds have a total extent of 

 41,197 acres, of which 110 acres are owned by Morpeth, 

 and 3300 acres by the Newcastle and Gateshead Water 

 Company. 



Morpeth obtains its water supply in part from (1) a 

 gathering ground of 110 acres on Morpeth Common, be- 

 tween 209 and 260 feet elevation, which is owned by the 

 Corporation; and (2) a gathering ground of 194 acres at 

 Tranwell, between 300 and 350 feet elevation, not owned 

 by the Corporation. The total area of 304 acres comprises 

 219 acres of hill pasture and 85 acres of plantations, and 

 is free from habitations or farm steadings. No precautions, 

 other than filtration, are carried out, except that a pipe is 

 laid under the bed of the small stream leading the water 

 into the storage reservoir at Tranwell. All the water 

 collected on Morpeth Common is carried by under drainage 

 direct to a filter bed. 



Tynemouth obtains its water supply from the Font im- 

 pounding reservoir, with a gathering ground in the Font 

 valley, Northumberland, of 7360 acres, situated between 

 611 and 1447 feet elevation, the highest point being Tosson 

 Hill. The Town Council own only the site of the reservoir 

 and the margin around it. There are four farm steadings 

 and houses upon the area, which formerly had some wood- 

 land upon it, but there are now only a few living trees 

 standing. The proportion of arable land is not stated. No 

 special precautions are taken against contamination on 

 the gathering ground, but the water is passed through 

 filters. 



The Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company, which 

 supplies Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, and adjacent 

 districts in Northumberland and Durham, obtain their water 



