IT has stood proudly in Park Hill Recreation Ground since 1867 and is one of Croydon's most recognisable buildings.

But Park Hill Water Tower has not been providing water to "higher areas" in the borough, the role it was built for, since 1923.

Apart from dead pigeons there is next to nothing inside the structure, which the Advertiser was allowed inside for a snoop around this week.

Now owned by Croydon Council, the Grade II listed building was built over a reservoir and designed by Baldwin Latham, the borough engineer at the time.

The structure, which is 140 ft high and 75 ft in diameter, once housed a tank with the capacity to hold 40,000 gallons of water.

It has a rich history, being opened to the public as a viewing platform in 1889, giving visitors panoramic views.

During the First World War the building was used as a perfect vantage point to look out for Zeppelin raids.

But a rapid increase of houses in the vicinity caused water supply problems which meant the end of the water tower's working life.

Its inside is bare and it serves no real purpose, other than being one of the architectural jewels in Croydon's crown.

Brian Lancaster, secretary of the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society, said: "I don't think many people know too much about it, or notice it, because it's abandoned.

"It was very important for the area because it gave homes and businesses a regular water supply which they hadn't had before because there was nowhere that had the right pressure conditions to do so beforehand.

"The tower has an ecclesiastical look about it so it looks quite unusual compared to all the other modern buildings in Croydon."

The council says it has no immediate plans for the water tower, which is probably just how the water tower's many admirers would like it.