Fountain No.3

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A pillar drinking water fountain situated to the north-east of the green at Andrew's Shorefield, Groomsport . Of cast-iron construction throughout. Fluted column and cap with acorn finial. Plain spout; tap at left (when viewed from road). No bucket bracket at base but no indication that one was ever installed. The top of the column is inscribed in raised letters, ''GLENFIELD & KENNEDY LD KILMARNOCK" and the plinth is inscribed in raised letters, ''GLENFIELD".

Historical information

From the late 1920s the stretch of coast to the east of Groomsport began to develop as a resort area with large numbers of static caravans and ‘huts’ noted in valuation records, from the 20s and 30s onwards. Caravan parks and chalets at Andrew's Shorefield are first shown on the fifth edition OS map of 1939 and, although not labelled, it is fair to presume that the pillar drinking fountain is contemporary with the resort.

The pillar drinking water fountain was cast by Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd. Kilmarnock which was formed by Thomas Kennedy.
Thomas Kennedy came to Kilmarnock from the West Highlands in 1824. With the help of John Cameron, the local clockmaker, he perfected a design for a water meter that was patented in 1852. A syndicate of four people was formed to finance the manufacture and marketing of the invention, and this led to the formation in 1896 of a private company called “The Kennedy Patent Water Meter Co. Ltd.”. In 1865 the same individuals formed the Glenfield Co. Ltd to make castings for the Meter Company but gradually widened its interests and built up an extensive valve and hydraulic engineering business. In 1899 the two companies merged to form Glenfield and Kennedy Ltd., which became the largest company of its type in the Commonwealth.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/3/2/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
2. PRONI VAL/12/B/23/17A – Annual Revisions (1923-30)
3. PRONI VAL/12/F/4/17/6 – Annual Revisions (1930-5)
4. PRONI VAL/3/D/4/17L/2 – First General NI Revaluation, Valuers’ RV binder (1933-57)
5. PRONI VAL/3/F/3/2/3A – First General NI Revaluation 25” county series

Secondary Sources

1. Patton, M, “Bangor, An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1999
2. http://futuremuseum.co.uk/Collection.aspx/glenfield_kennedy/

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

A cast iron pillar drinking water fountain installed around 1920 to serve a small development of timber holiday chalets. Such developments were once common in seaside resort areas but are gradually being replaced by permanent housing. A collection of fountains surviving in their original setting is even more rare and of interest as good examples of the type serving in original condition.