Edinburgh, High Street, Wellhead

The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (http://www.pmsa.org.uk/) set up a National Recording Project in 1997 with the aim of making a survey of public monuments and sculpture in Britain ranging from medieval monuments to the most contemporary works. Information from the Edinburgh project was added to the RCAHMS database in October 2010 and again in 2012.

The PMSA (Public Monuments and Sculpture Association) Edinburgh Sculpture Project has been supported by Eastern Photocolour, Edinburgh College of Art, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Historic Scotland, the Hope Scott Trust, The Old Edinburgh Club, the Pilgrim Trust, the RCAHMS, and the Scottish Archive Network.

Four-sided stone structure with pointed top has theatrical masks on east (comedy) and west (tragedy) sides; the Edinburgh arms in an oval on the cast iron access door on the south side, and an explanatory plaque on the north side.

Inspected By : D. King

Inscriptions : On cast iron plaque (raised letters): THE HIGH STREET WELLHEAD / THE ORIGINAL WELLHEAD OR CISTERN / IN THIS POSITION, PROBABLY OF / AROUND 1675, HAD A CHEQUERED / HISTORY. IT WAS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED / BY A HORSE-DRAWN FIRE ENGINE IN / JANUARY 1897 AND REBUILT. / THE CISTERN PROVIDED WATER / FROM COMISTON SPRINGS VIA THE / CASTLEHILL RESERVOIR FOR THE / INHABITANTS OF THE OLD TOWN, THEY BECAME IMPOPRTANT MEETING PLACES / WHERE LONG QUEUES FORMED. THEY FELL INTO DISUSE IN THE 19TH CENTURY / WHEN SUPPLIES TO INDIVIDUAL / HOUSES BECAME POSSIBLE. / THE WELLHEAD WAS REBUILT AGAIN AND RESTORED / TO USE WITH BASINS AND RUNNING DRINKING WATER / BY THE EDINBURGH OLD TOWN RENEWAL TRUST AND / LOTHIAN AND EDINBURGH ENTERPRISE LIMITED IN 1997.

Signatures : None

Design period : 1785

Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0771)