Listed building consent is being sought by Sturminster Newton Town Council for the restoration and refurbishment of the town pump and trough at the entrance to the Market Square which was severely damaged in a road traffic accident two years ago.
In a detailed report, Ian Ring of Newton Forge describes the history of the pump and trough, which he says is not a pump housing but a decorative covering for the water connections. The impact from the southern side smashed the cast iron and brick support structure, causing many breaks in the cast work and bricks, first driving through the brick support and trough then knocking the pump housing to the ground against a parked vehicle. He says parts were missing which had either been caught up in the vehicle causing the damage or swept away by first responding attendants.
“I believe all possible parts remaining were collected by the council’s team. There is some rust on the metal but not enough to cause damage. The metalwork was generally well covered and protected by paint, although the most recent paint layer has reacted with the paint beneath and is peeling.”
The trough is thought to have been constructed to commemorate J Comyns Leach MD JP who died 1907 and his son E Comyns Leach BA who died in 1902. The pump maker’s name, Coalbrookdale, is on what would have been the north side of the stand, and it appear to have been supplied by Mitchell and Son of Bristol. It replaced another on the same site which was hand operated to draw up water for horses.
“This pump housing appears to have been constructed to allow mains water to feed the trough, with an opening which appeared to accommodate a push button for the water operation. The cast construction is decorated with lion heads on all four faces, surrounded by a wreath of apparent bull rushes and applied four petal flowers. The top is adorned by a pair of dolphins with entwined tails around a trident. It is inscribed on the west side with the commemoration and on the east side with words from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Ancient Mariner.”
Comments are open until July 19 on the Dorset Council website for application P/LBC/2021/01125.
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