The swimming pool at the historic Hever Castle & Gardens is now fully repaired and refurbished thanks to the hard work carried out by the Pure Blue Pools team. Our extensive experience meant that we were able to rise to the challenges posed by the site’s unique location between the castle’s two moats.
A Swimming Pool at an Historic Site with Unique Water Challenges
Over the years, the team at Pure Blue Pools has been fortunate enough to have worked on swimming pools in many sumptuous sites – but none of them richer in history than Hever Castle & Gardens. Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn (the second of King Henry VIII’s six wives), Hever Castle in Edenbridge, Kent, is a medieval defensive castle built in 1383. Situated in the valley of the River Eden and only 120 feet (36 metres) above sea level, the river’s natural watercourses (such as streams) were used to create a double moat – a key security feature of the castle.
Water is, in fact, a prominent component throughout the unique Hever Castle & Gardens, which – in addition to the double moat and the River Eden – features a majestic 38-acre lake, ornamental ponds and water fountains, a water maze whose water jets impishly splash water at those who step on its stones and – you guessed it – a swimming pool.
The rectangular-shaped swimming pool was originally constructed (not in medieval or Tudor times but) in the 1950s by its former owners, the Astor family. Situated between the castle’s two moats, it features an unusual internal step that Pure Blue discovered had been purposely built to cover some old pipes that connected the castle’s moats to a waterway as some type of possible overflow. Today, the pool is enjoyed by the castle’s current owners, the Guthrie family, as well as by private and corporate guests who book to stay in the site’s luxurious Astor Wing.
Pure Blue was one of a handful of different pool companies initially contacted by the Hever Castle & Gardens team to investigate a leak in the pool. Impressed with our swift reply, the general manager invited us to assess the extent of the repairs. Thanks to our extensive knowledge and comprehensive report outlining the issues found, the Pure Blue team was then chosen to carry out the repair work at this prestigious and historic site.
Pure Blue director Bruce Abercrombie says:
“We felt very proud to have been selected and it was a pleasure to work in such beautiful surroundings with a famous castle as our backdrop.”
Roland Smith, Hever Castle & Gardens house manager, says:
“I chose this pool company because they responded promptly, are locally based, and demonstrated clear expertise in their field.”
Pool Plumbing Replacement
Pure Blue’s inspection found several issues with the pool plumbing, plant room equipment, and safety cover. For example, the underground pipes to the skimmers (that is, the openings in the pool wall that remove floating debris like leaves, insects, and oil from the surface of a swimming pool) were, in fact, very old black PVC pipework that needed replacing with new pipes along with other pool fittings – such as the chlorinator. Pure Blue installed the chlorinator in addition to a refurbished UV filter.
Tackling the High Water Table with a New Sump Pump
A new pump for the sump drain situated at the side of the deep end of the pool was also installed. Sump drains are below-ground chambers that collect and remove excess groundwater from a pool’s surroundings. Excess groundwater – particularly in waterlogged areas such as Hever Castle & Gardens that have a high water table – can cause issues such as liner floatation or the shifting of the pool structure, explains Bruce. “It’s all about draining water from around the pool because groundwater pressure is actually so fierce it can cause a pool – even if the pool is effectively a large, heavy, concrete box – to float out of the ground. So, a sump drain drains the water from around the pool to prevent the groundwater from raising the pool out of the ground.”
He adds: “There was actually a sump at the Hever Castle pool and so, at some point in time, it had been built correctly – but it had since been covered up because, when we discovered it, it had been tiled over. So, we opened it up and installed a new pump into that chamber to deal with the groundwater around the pool.”
Pressure Testing & Installing a New Pool Liner
The recently-installed liner (the pool’s waterproof barrier) had to be removed and disposed of because the company that originally fitted the liner did not pressure-test the existing pipework beforehand. “Pure Blue tests all pipework as a matter of course before advising clients on the correct and appropriate course of action,” notes Bruce. The Pure Blue team members broke out the existing pool inlets and outlets (which circulate and filtrate the pool water) and replaced them with new ones before installing the new liner.
Automatic Safety Cover Installation at Hever Castle and Gardens
Because the existing automatic safety cover – which was surface mounted on the paving – had torn due to age, we also replaced this for the client. Cleverly, Pure Blue used a hidden safety cover featuring cover tracks that are recessed below the pool’s coping stones (the stones that form the decorative edge around the pool) and a cover reel hidden inside a newly-constructed concrete pit at the end of the pool.
Given the complexity of the work, the repairs to the pool at Hever Castle & Gardens took us nearly a year to complete – adapting our working schedule to fit around the many events that take place in the castle grounds. This meant that we were, at times, battling the elements – such as working when it was snowing in winter. We also had to carry all heavy materials from a designated HGV drop-off area outside the pool site to the pool. But the team’s hard work has clearly paid off as guests have happily enjoyed the pool during the summer’s lovely, warm weather.
Roland says:
“The pool’s stunning aesthetic, seamless usability, meticulous attention to detail, and the thorough training provided to our team have resulted in an outstanding final product that exceeded our expectations and offers our guests an exceptional experience.”
Swimming pool refurbishment, people also ask us…
How does a high water table affect a swimming pool?
A high water table results in excess groundwater that creates fierce pressure around the swimming pool structure. This intense groundwater pressure can cause significant issues, such as liner floatation or the shifting of the pool structure. The pressure can be so fierce that it may cause the pool – even if it is a large, heavy, concrete box – to actually float out of the ground unless the surrounding water is properly drained.
What is a sump drain and why is it used for swimming pools?
A sump drain is an under-ground chamber designed to collect and remove excess groundwater from a swimming pool’s surroundings. It is used for swimming pools, particularly those in waterlogged areas with a high water table, to prevent the pool from being damaged; specifically, the sump drain drains water from around the pool to relieve groundwater pressure, which is necessary because the pressure can be so fierce that it may cause issues like liner floatation, the shifting of the pool structure, or even raise the pool out of the ground.
When was the Hever Castle swimming pool built?
The Hever Castle swimming pool was originally constructed in the 1950s by its former owners, the Astor family. Today, the pool is used and enjoyed by the castle’s current owners, the Guthrie family, as well as by private and corporate guests who book to stay in the site’s luxurious Astor Wing accommodations.
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