water pump

Freestanding cast-iron water hydrant, erected c. 1910, comprising fluted cylindrical shaft on moulded base, fluted domed capping over with ‘acorn’ finial, and having spout to the west side. Now disused. Foundry mark 'Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd, Kilmarnock' to shaft. Original pull lever now missing. Modern tap inserted. Located adjacent to footpath to the south-west end of Ballintra, and on the south-east side of the Main Street.

An attractive piece of mass produced cast-iron, which remains an appealing and subtle feature in the streetscape to the centre of Ballintra. 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 fluted 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 twenty-six acres (c. 1936). It is one of the few traditional items of street furniture still extant in Ballintra (along with another cast-iron hydrant to the north-east), and makes a positive contribution to the streetscape of the town.