Building record 1746/3/1 - Fountain in the boundary wall of Harthill School, Harthill

<1> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, 1230249 (Web Site). SCH6528.

Fountain and well head: dated 1862 for Robert Barbour. Ashlar red sandstone. Gothic style. Rectangular in plan with 2 gable ends and blocked well between. South face has end buttresses inscribed RB 1862 and coped and finialled gable containing the Barbour arms. Gothic arch over fountain has a worn inscription reading "WHETHER YE EAT OR DRINK, WHATSOEVER YE DO, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD". Lower canted wing walls carrying quatrefoil panelled railings to either side.

<2> Purcell, 2023, Harthill Hub and Trails Heritage Impact Assessment, R4698 (Client Report). SCH9454.

Heritage assessment produced in 2023 for Harthill School and School Master’s House (see CHER 1746/3/0). Both the school buildings and the fountain located in the school boundary wall first appear on OS First Edition mapping (see source 3). A lithograph held within Cheshire Archives shows the building as proposed by the architect c.1868, also a photograph dated 1897 exists of the school. Both the lithograph of 1868 and the photo of 1897 show the fountain was originally roofed; the lithograph would suggest tiles with the photo more likely to be slate.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.