Heritage Cast Iron Rainwater Hopper Head

Where a period gutter run needs to change direction, or the flow from a valley needs collecting before it drops down a downpipe, a hopper head does that job — and on a listed building or conservation-area property, planning conditions usually rule out anything but genuine cast iron for it. Cast iron hopper heads carry real weight, both physically and visually, giving a façade the depth and detail that lightweight look-alike plastic simply doesn't replicate.Sand cast to British Standard BS460, each hopper is available in a fluted flat-back profile or a rectangular profile, in a primed finish ready for site painting or a factory pre-painted black finish. Sizes span from a compact 65mm outlet hopper through to a large rectangular hopper with a 100 x 75mm square outlet, so there's a genuine match whether you're feeding a small downpipe run or a substantial valley gutter.Specification Variant Profile Outlet Finish Material 65mm Fluted Flat Back – Primed Fluted flat back 65mm (2.5") Primed Cast iron 100mm Fluted Flat Back – Black Fluted flat back 100mm (4") Factory painted black Cast iron Rectangular Small (250x180x180mm) – Black Rectangular 100 x 75mm square Factory painted black Cast iron Rectangular Large (305x250x200mm) – Black Rectangular 100 x 75mm square Factory painted black Cast iron Frequently Asked QuestionsIs this genuine cast iron, or cast-iron-effect? Genuine sand-cast iron, manufactured to BS460 — not an aluminium or resin look-alike. This matters for both durability and for satisfying conservation officer requirements on listed buildings.How heavy is a cast iron hopper, and does that affect fixing? Cast iron hoppers are substantially heavier than plastic or aluminium equivalents. Fix into sound masonry or a structurally adequate bracket — do not rely on a timber fascia alone for a large rectangular hopper.Primed or pre-painted black — which should I choose? Pre-painted black is ready to install straight away; primed is the better choice if you need to colour-match an existing scheme or want a specific top coat applied on site.How long does cast iron guttering and rainwater goods last? Correctly installed and maintained, genuine cast iron rainwater systems regularly exceed 40 years of service life, well beyond typical plastic or aluminium systems.Will this match my existing cast iron gutter? These hoppers are designed to pair with standard round and rectangular cast iron downpipes and gutter profiles — check your existing outlet size against the table above before ordering.Completing a full heritage rainwater run? See our Cast Iron Guttering & Downpipe System for matching half round and ogee gutter profiles.