Drinking fountain

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Memorial drinking fountain (or trough) of 1893, set into the boundary wall to the front of the Annesley Estate office, on the W side of South Promenade.

The structure is in the form of a Tudoresque gable and is granite built. The gable verge has chamfered coping and its main face has a central memorial plaque in [?] Portland stone edged with polished granite. This plaque has moulded coronet thereon and a dedication to Priscilla Cecilia, Countess of Annesley. At the gable ends are stocky projecting piers with cornice-like courses and chamfered caps. These piers rest on plainer piers which project from the low wall (upon which the whole gable rests). Between the wall piers is a large granite drinking trough with small tap above.

The boundary wall retains its original wrought iron railings.

Historical information

This drinking fountain was erected in 1893 (by public subscription), with both it and the hall behind it, dedicated to the memory of Priscilla Cecilia, Countess of Annesley, who died two years previously. The hall itself, appears to be a remodelling of a school house originally built in 1857.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/49/2 OS map, first rev., Co. Down 49. [This map shows the original school house around which the present hall/estate office was built.]
2 PRONI Second (‘Griffith’s) valuation, Kilcoo, 1863.
3 PRONI VAL/12E/111/1 Valuation town plan of Newcastle, 1864-1906.
4 PRONI and Linen Hall Library ‘Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory’ Vols.1-21, 1852-1900, (Belfast, Henderson [1852-65], Belfast News-Letter [1865- ]).
5 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886), pp.161-165.
6 PRONI OS/8/136/1-4 OS plans of Newcastle, 1901.

Secondary sources
1 P.J. Rankin, 'Historic Buildings, Groups of Buildings, Areas of Architectural Importance in the Mourne Area of South Down', (Belfast UAHS 1975), pp.73-75.
2 Grenfell Morton ‘Victorian and Edwardian Newcastle’ (Belfast 1988). [This book includes late 19th and early 20th century photographs of the Annesley Arms Hotel, mainly from the Laurence Collection held at PRONI.]

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Granite-built drinking fountain (or trough) of 1893, set into the boundary wall to the front of the Annesley Estate office. The stone structure comprises a small Tudoresque gable with projecting piers and a trough below. A memorial plaque dedicated to Priscilla Cecilia, Countess of Annesley is fixed to the gable..