Dumfries town centre’s 140-year-old landmark – officially called The Sun Foundry Fountain – will be officially launched in its new full glory on Friday.
The public ceremony from noon to 2pm, organised by the council and The Stove Network, starts a series of events planned throughout the summer to mark the transformation from a non-working eyesore to a fully-functioning iconic combined cascade and spray fountain in the heart of the High Street.
On the day itself there will workshops hosted by For Enjoyment and The Stove Network, and the chance to pick up a souvenir of the historic event – a commemorative certificate.
There will also be music from Dumfries Town Band and the QOS Choir, a performance by Dumfries School of Dance and an exclusive Mostly Ghostly Tour exploring the impact of two major cholera epidemics in 1832 and 1848.
The fountain, which is covered by CCTV, was initially installed to commemorate the supply of fresh, clean and safe public drinking water to the town from nearby Lochrutton after the pandemics.
Local school groups who have been part of the project will also attend.
It had taken years of persuasion and planning to get the ball rolling on the renovation scheme, not least by Kirsten Scott and staff and successive pupils from St Michael’s Primary School, and led to the formation of The Fountain Restoration Group in 2017.
Under guidance from Industrial Heritage Consulting Limited, the cast iron fountain structure was removed in December so that excavation works to create a tank for a new water treatment and pumping system could begin while more than 100 cast iron parts headed south to be restored by experts, Wigan-based Lost Art Ltd.
A number of specialists have been involved in the return of the fountain, with new parts including the urns, and young people from Dumfries schools were encouraged to get involved and follow the process throughout.
This led to an exhibition during the past week held in The Stove Cafe of artwork relating to the fountain from pupils at St Michael’ Primary School and Dumfries Academy, along with images of the fountain over the decades.
It was also revealed that a “superbly detailed description of the fountain from Dumfries and Galloway Standard dated 4th December 1882”, found by Dumfries and Galloway Heritage Service archives at the Ewart Library, was the evidence that influenced the project team’s decision for the final coatings – the main bronze colour dusted with gold, and the
black.
The public launch will also see the unveiling of new commemorative plaques designed by local artist, Katie Anderson.
The nine bronze floor plaques have been set into the cobbles surrounding the fountain, telling the history of the town through its connection to water.
Among the fountain-related events to come are a free talk in The Stove Cafe from 6pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday, June 20, with Jim Mitchell of Industrial Heritage Consulting, and Andrew Nicholson, archaeologist for Dumfries and Galloway Council, discussing the fountain’s history and heritage.
For more events and booking go to www.thestove.org/events/
