GRESFORD VILLAGE VICTORIAN DRINKING FOUNTAIN
THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN RESTORATION 2014 THE PROJECT Local community volunteer group, IMAGE*, was successful in its application for a Heritage and Culture Grant from Northern Marches Cymru for the purpose of restoring the Victorian drinking fountain. Gresford Community Council kindly donated 25% of the necessary amount in order to fulfil the project. It was decided that this grant assistance would realise the first project of the Gresford Village Improvement Plan. This was the result of the Village Improvement Feasibility Project 2013, funded by Gresford Community Council The fountain had suffered neglect during the many years since its installation. Erected in 1862, it has been restored to its former condition as far as possible. Work on site began on 21st October 2014 and was completed on 13th November 2014. It entailed gently cleaning the main structure, cleaning and raising the stone seats on either side, repairing the ceramic tiling, pointing the stone joints with lime mortar, paving an apron of land in front of the fountain with York stone, and erecting York stone benches. Fountain area before its restoration Additionally, where there was previously a roundel of unknown subject, a stainless steel plaque was inserted to honour the benefactor, Anne Townshend. In order to keep signage at a minimum, a QR Code was mounted. With the aid of Smartphone technology, this links to this page on Gresford Community Council’s website. The tap is still missing and it is hoped that we can fund that addition in due course. There is no intention to restore the water supply. The restoration work was carried out by Bell Stone Masonry of Chester. The slideshow below illustrates the stages of the restoration. |
THE BENEFACTOR, ANNE TOWNSHEND
Until 1861 Gresford had a very poor supply of fresh water. A dirty pond, now known as the lake, was the most accessible place to draw water, and residents did so by the bucketful. Wells existed but were 100-120 feet deep and were difficult to access.
Enter Miss Anne Townshend! She was the second daughter of John Stanislaus Townshend of Hem and Trevalyn, who lived in Trevalyn House in Rossett from 1801. A lady of comfortable means and some influence locally, she later lived in Westwood House, Vicarage Lane, Gresford. (see below)
Until 1861 Gresford had a very poor supply of fresh water. A dirty pond, now known as the lake, was the most accessible place to draw water, and residents did so by the bucketful. Wells existed but were 100-120 feet deep and were difficult to access.
Enter Miss Anne Townshend! She was the second daughter of John Stanislaus Townshend of Hem and Trevalyn, who lived in Trevalyn House in Rossett from 1801. A lady of comfortable means and some influence locally, she later lived in Westwood House, Vicarage Lane, Gresford. (see below)
Miss Townshend was born on 3 January, 1797. She resolved throughout her life to help those in need in whatever way she could. In 1860, she enlisted the help of her friends and inspired the plan of building an automatic hydraulic ram behind St. Catherine’s Well (in Bottom Lane). Water was pumped via a one- inch pipe to a holding tank in a field at the point where the old Chester and Wrexham roads crossed through the village. From this tank, water was piped to four taps: one in the centre of the village, one opposite the Plough, one near the Church and one at the corner of Narrow Lane. All cottagers were supplied with a key. The flow was slow and the tap locations developed as meeting and gossiping places for the housewives! This system worked from 1861 to 1916.
Following this, in 1862, Miss Townshend erected our newly- restored drinking fountain for travellers. It is situated at the junction of the Old Wrexham Road and Chester Road, opposite the Plough. She set up a fund to pay for the installation. £200 was raised at a village bazaar. She personally knitted and sold 500 pairs of baby socks during the three years it took to raise a total of £300 and 10 shillings for the project. This was a considerable sum in Victorian times, equivalent to £32,000 today.
On either side of the fountain are two stone seats. The one on the left bears the date July 3rd 1862; the one on the right was inscribed “Rest for the weary”. Despite the restoration work, the latter is regretfully no longer entirely visible. Around the stone arch of the fountain, it is believed the inscription read, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 1862”. There are conflicting accounts of the wording of these inscriptions and it is difficult to decipher them now.
Miss Townshend died “after many weeks of patient suffering” in January 1873. Her grave is in the northwest corner of Gresford churchyard. After her death, the Townshend family presented an elegant brass lectern to the church, in her memory. A stained glass window in memory of her and her brother John was also placed in the church.
Following this, in 1862, Miss Townshend erected our newly- restored drinking fountain for travellers. It is situated at the junction of the Old Wrexham Road and Chester Road, opposite the Plough. She set up a fund to pay for the installation. £200 was raised at a village bazaar. She personally knitted and sold 500 pairs of baby socks during the three years it took to raise a total of £300 and 10 shillings for the project. This was a considerable sum in Victorian times, equivalent to £32,000 today.
On either side of the fountain are two stone seats. The one on the left bears the date July 3rd 1862; the one on the right was inscribed “Rest for the weary”. Despite the restoration work, the latter is regretfully no longer entirely visible. Around the stone arch of the fountain, it is believed the inscription read, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 1862”. There are conflicting accounts of the wording of these inscriptions and it is difficult to decipher them now.
Miss Townshend died “after many weeks of patient suffering” in January 1873. Her grave is in the northwest corner of Gresford churchyard. After her death, the Townshend family presented an elegant brass lectern to the church, in her memory. A stained glass window in memory of her and her brother John was also placed in the church.
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The fountain is unique. It is now a tribute to the bygone days of Gresford and we hope that locals and visitors are pleased with its new appearance. If you would like to leave comments about it please do so via this link.
*Improving Marford and Gresford Environment AGENDA 21 Group
References
Gresford Village and Church and Royal Marford J.Colin Jones 1995
The Parishes of Gresford and Hope: Past and Present Sydney Gardner Jarman 1899
Wrexham Leader 23 May 1972 p.13
A History of the Old Parish of Gresford 1904 A. N. Palmer reprinted 1987 Bridge Books
References
Gresford Village and Church and Royal Marford J.Colin Jones 1995
The Parishes of Gresford and Hope: Past and Present Sydney Gardner Jarman 1899
Wrexham Leader 23 May 1972 p.13
A History of the Old Parish of Gresford 1904 A. N. Palmer reprinted 1987 Bridge Books
FEEDBACK- here's an interesting response from Mr Peter Tompsett. Thank you
"I was pleased to see the water fountain restored and credit given to Ann Townshend , the benefactor . Shortly after moving into her former house we had a visitor who was trying to track down an hydraulic ram from an enquiry from Westwood House . I was unable to help him so he left . Later , during restoration in our much neglected house whilst stripping many coats of paint from a marble fireplace found that Ann Townshend had scratched " Ann Townshend Mistress of Westwood " into the edge of the mantle piece with presumably a diamond ring . We later discovered her campaign to bring the water supply into the village but too late for our enquiring visitor sadly . I remember when we moved into Vicarage Lane in 1982 the junction with Chester Road was much wider and had a horse trough sited near the water fountain but this was subsequently removed and the pavement extended . It presumably was part of the same scheme ."