water pump

Freestanding cast-iron water hydrant, erected c. 1900, comprising fluted shaft on molded base and surmounted by fluted capping with acorn finial over. Now disused. Inscription 'Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd, Kilmarnock' to shaft. Original pull lever now missing. Located on grass verge to the northeast of Abbeylara.

An attractive piece of mass-produced cast-iron, which remains an appealing and subtle feature in the streetscape/landscape to the northeast of Abbeylara. This water hydrant is of particular importance as a reminder of the mechanisms installed for the provision of clean drinking water in the period before mains water supply systems. The various raised details enhance the artistic design quality of the piece, and indicate the equal importance of aesthetics as well as functionality. The manufacturers of this piece, Glenfield and Kennedy Ltd, were the major company selling cast-iron water mechanisms within the British Empire during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century. They were based in Kilmarnock, Scotland, and had workshops that spread over 26 acres (c. 1936). Their products were sold internationally, and the company maintained offices in London, as well as Calcutta and Bombay, India. Located to the northeast, beyond the village, this hydrant would have served the inhabitants of the surrounding rural area