Description

Later 19th century. Rectangular-plan finely finished grey granite well incorporating drinking fountain, and dog basin to E and trough to W, fed respectively by lion and leopard masks from the Aberdeen coat of arms. Scrolled pediment dividing drinking fountain and trough, inscription to E reading "Erected to the memory of Alexander Taylor, Merchant in Aberdeen by his daughter, Jane Forbes Taylor, Morkeu, Cults" and the to W reading "He prayeth best who loveth best all things both great and small", surmounted by urn with carved masks.

Statement of Interest

B-Group with Duthie Park Bandstand, Bowling Pavilion, East Lodge, Gates, Gatepiers and Boundary Walls, Footbridge over Upper Lake, Fountain, Fountainhall Cistern House, Gordon Highlanders Celtic Memorial, Gordon Highlanders Obelisk Memorial, Hygeia Statue, McGrigor Obelisk, and Temperance Drinking Fountain (see separate listings). The site of the Duthie Park was originally a marshy piece of land covered in gorse (or whin, hence the nearby "Whinhill Road), it was known as Pulmoor, now "Polmuir". In 1850 Arthurseat (the villa on the site) and its surrounding land was intended to be developed as a Royal Garden to view the trains crossing the new viaduct to and from London via Ferryhill. However, in 1881 Miss Charlotte Duthie of Ruthrieston purchased the site and gifted it to the City of Aberdeen for a public park. It was decided it should be "available for all classes of citizens, that it should have a broad expanse of grassy sward upon which the young might indulge in innocent frolic and play..." (Duthie Park, p37). The park was designed by William R McKelvie of Dundee, and the first sod, of the 47 acres of land, was cut on the 27th of August 1881, the park being officially opened in 1883. The combination of drinking fountain and troughs for animals, like this one, became popular in the mid to late 19th century. The RSPCA's support of the introduction of troughs, especially for cattle and horses who were worked particularly hard, meant their numbers dramatically increased, although few survive today. The Taylor Well was originally at the junction of Great Northern Road and Clifton Road.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77776617

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback