Carlops Fountain Restoration
A community effort to restore the historic Carlops drinking fountain, preserving an important piece of village heritage for future generations.
About This Project
This project aims to purchase and restore the fine Victorian drinking fountain in Carlops, preserving and maintaining it for the community and its visitors. The restoration is being led by Guy Walters, a landscape architect who has lived in the conservation village of Carlops for over 30 years.
History
Whilst listed as a 'drinking fountain', it is referred to locally as 'the well'. It was built in 1860 for the village by the local landowner who had just inherited the estate. Work done on the estate house at the time was designed by the eminent Victorian architect David Bryce, who designed Fettes College, and it is not impossible that he may have had a hand in the design of the drinking fountain.
The village is understood to be the location of Scotland's first pastoral comedy, 'The Gentle Shepherd' written by Allan Ramsay Sr. A resurgence of his work drew visitors out to Carlops and the entrance to the Pentlands. Many still swear by the health-giving properties of the water from the drinking fountain.
It is still used virtually every day by visitors regularly coming to fill their containers with natural spring water, free from chlorides. For some visitors, it is the only water they will drink.
When the central mill was converted to the 'Allan Ramsay Hotel', spring water from the tank servicing the well was piped to the hotel, which then became responsible for maintaining the water supply. Unfortunately, since the Covid pandemic, the hotel has closed.
The Lion's Head
The lion's head with flowers from visiting well-wishers
The cast lion's head has worn away at the chin and in recent years has been dribbling down its chin, causing spalling to the stones below.
The copper piping spout has recently been replaced to resolve this issue, but the damage has been done and a more professional repair is required. The project aims to give the lion some 'facial reconstruction'.
Community Ownership
The vision of the community is that this structure comes under our ownership and control so that we may make it safe and repair it, bringing it back to its former glory.
The current owners kindly agreed to transfer the title to the village SCIO for £1. A pro-bono solicitor from Pinsent Masons represented the SCIO in the process of transferring title ownership from the Newhall Estate.
The project received a significant donation from the Orcome Trust, a small charity set up by the McClaggan Sisters (previous owners of Newhall), which supports charitable projects and community groups with significance for the local area.
Restoration Works
Protective Works to Date
- Nearby trees felled five years ago as roots were encroaching on the structure
- Dug out behind the worst affected wing wall, removed roots, installed root barrier and gravel drain
- Emergency lime pointing carried out on wall copes to reduce water ingress
- BEAR Scotland installed new whin stone kerb and gulley to reduce road water reaching the structure
Proposed Works
- Traffic protection for stonemasons working on the main road
- Organic growth removal using suitable methods
- Professional analysis of existing stone and mortar for matching (listed building requirement)
- Replace damaged stones: six in the left wall, three in the centre, two on the right flank
- Deep excavate bedding and pointing mortars, consolidate and repoint all stone joints
- Rebuild failing random rubble at the rear
- Re-set the large masonry slab covering the original settling chamber
- Re-lay and replace stone slabs around the apron of the trough
Project Updates
Achieving Our Aim
With an expected final donation due shortly we have now reached our target! As well as the donations through the Crowdfunder website we have also been receiving funds directly to the Village Hall SCIO.
This month we were generously given £1,000 from our Local Councillors from Scottish Borders Council. Similarly, Friends of the Pentlands have also generously supported the project, for which we thank them.
The Stonemason, Muir Stone from Penicuik, will be starting on site on the 15th of this month. We have had meetings with the Heritage and Design Officer from Scottish Borders Council and taken advice from the Scottish Lime Centre with regards to the lime mix to use.
We have identified a suitable stone from Deepsykehead quarry which will be cut and dressed to replace the two damaged central stones under the lion's head. We have every reason to believe that the original stone for the well came from this, now disused, quarry.
Note: In order to allow the lime mortar to cure slowly, the well will need to be covered in hessian over the winter. This is so that the mortar will harden slowly and be better able to cope with the road salts and sprays.
Title Ownership
During the last few months we have had a pro-bono solicitor from Pinsent Masons kindly represent the SCIO in the process of transferring title ownership of the well from the Newhall Estate to the village centre SCIO.
We are delighted to advise that this process was completed before work commenced on the well.
Change in Funding Total
We changed the funding total down from £15,000 to £8,000 in order to recognise that, out of the total of £15,000 we seek for the project, we had already raised £7,000 outside of the crowdfunding page.
Restoration Progress
Thanks to everyone who contributed! The fundraising target was reached and work commenced in September 2025.
