Andrew Handyside who made Friargate bridge in Derby also made decorative fountains around the world, here is one such example in Darlington.
The Houndgate Fountain, Darlington, County Durham, UK 1858
How it looked in the 1890's in Joseph Pease's gardens, note it has lost the hexagonal cast iron base with the six lion head waterspouts surrounding it :
How it looked in 2023 having lost most of its original parts :
This fountain has been located in many different places in its life and has lost a lot of its original features over the 168 years since it was made by Andrew Handyside.
I have listed a complete history of its locations below.
The fountain (or rather what’s left of it) is currently located on Houndgate, it has been there for 62 years.
Its sited in a little square on the corner of Houndgate and Bull Wynd. Here is a unique photograph of the fountain from above in 2023 :
But it was originally installed in 1858 on Darlington Marketplace (the top of Tubwell Row) - Dedicated to Mr Edward Pease.
In 1862 it was moved to the grounds of Joseph Pease's property near Avenue Lodge in Southend.
Looking at photographs from the 1890's it had lost the hexagonal cast iron base with the six lion head waterspouts surrounding it, replaced with a sandstone base with carved flowers running up it.
In 1937 it was again relocated, this time to Harewood (later renamed to Green Park), Oakdene Avenue.
In 1960 Green Park was opened to the public.
In 1964 the fountain was vandalised, it lost its cherubs from the top, the top basin and the Dolphins that support the basin so it was decided that it should be moved to protect it from further damage.
I have conflicting information about the dates of the fountain’s relocation to Houndgate, one source says it was moved in 1964, where as the historical information plaque that used to be on the brick surround stated it was moved there in 1970 to celebrate the centenary of the Northern Echo.
Does anyone have local knowledge of when it was actually relocated to Houndgate?
Also does anyone know what year the water stopped running in the fountain?
Here is a photograph of it when it was still in working order :
Locally it seems to sometimes be referred to as the "Tubwell Torrentor" not sure why.
This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number 19 on Page 18 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside" :
There was a plaque on the fountain which reads "It was moved to Houndgate in 1970 and presented as a gift from the North of England Newspapers to mark the centenary of the Northern Echo first published in Darlington on the first of January 1870." This plaque seems to have vanished around 2014, was it stolen?
History of this fountain :
1858 Darlington Marketplace (today this is the top of Tubwell Row)
1862 Southend grounds - Avenue Lodge (Joseph Pease's house).
1890 Lost the cast iron base with the lion head water spouts, replaced with a sandstone base
1937 Harewood (later renamed to Green Park), Oakdene Avenue
1964 Vandalised : lost its cherubs and Dolphins and top basin.
1970 Moved to Houndgate
2009 No longer a working water fountain.
2014 The 1970 history plaque lost.
2019 The brick water basin filled in with soil and planted.
The Engineer printed November 1856 :
We had an opportunity on Wednesday last of seeing a fountain, designed by Mr. Handyside, and executed at his works, the Britannia Foundry, Derby.
This elegant structure has been erected for Mr. Pease and will be placed in a stone basin in Darlington Market-place. It will stand on a granite pedestal two feet above the level of
the water. It is made of cast-iron. At the top, at a height of 14 feet from the base of the metal part, are figures of two children embracing each other, and betwixt them a bell-shape jet is fixed which delivers a circular cascade, enveloping the figures and falling into an elegantly designed vase or basin. This basin is surrounded by six lions’ heads, from the mouths of which six jets descend into a larger basin. The top basin is supported by three dolphins, from the nostrils of which six jets arise, which intersect the others. These are received into a large and hand-some basin, which is supported upon a tastefully designed pedestal, having in each of the four square compartments a large lion’s head, from the open mouths of which the water is ultimately discharged into the stone basin.
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My references :
The Engineer - November 21st 1856 Page 642
A walk in the park by Chris Lloyd Page 155/156
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Thanks
Andy
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