In 1847 because of a poor water supply to the growing population of the Potteries, the Staffordshire Potteries Waterworks Company was formed. It constructed works in 1848 at Wall Grange which included taking water from a spring at Ceres (St. Caena) well (up to 1.5 million gallons a day) and the building of Deep Hayes Reservoir to compensate the River Churnet for the loss of this water which served several mills downstream. The source of water from Wall Grange in 1849 became the first principal supply for Hanley, Burslem and Tunstall.
Pictured is one of the original outlet valves from deep hayes reservoir built in 1849 and replaced in 1952.