Description

J P Alison, 1910. Free Renaissance drinking fountain and clock in a prominent position at the centre of Drumlanrig Square. Circular stepped base; cross-shaped granite plinth with base course and key-pattern frieze supporting 2 plain garlanded sandstone Ionic columns on each wing and central round-topped block bearing drinking fountain in NE side, inscribed tablets in NW and SE sides (see Notes) and timber-boarded door in SW side; corniced canopy surmounted by copper-domed, corniced clock with cartouches (see Notes) and console-bracketed corners; weathervane.

Statement of Interest

An exuberant 'Wrenaissance' memorial fountain in a prominent position close to the heart of Hawick, designed by James Pearson Alison, Hawick's most prominent architect. Alison had commenced practice in the town in 1888 and remained there until his death in 1932, during which period he was responsible for a large number of buildings of widely varying types and styles, including a considerable proportion of Hawick's listed structures.

The inscription on the SE side reads: 'ERECTED ON THE SITE OF THE AULD MID RAW DEMOLISHED MDCCCLXXXIV'; that on the NW side reads: 'ERECTED FROM FUNDS BEQUEATHED TO HIS NATIVE TOWN BY WILLIAM BROWN JP ALLOA MCMX'. The Auld Mid Raw comprised some of Hawick's earliest buildings, but had descended to slum condition by 1883. Townspeople responded by raising money to purchase the buildings from their owners and hand them over to the Town Council for demolition in 1884, when they were replaced by gardens. William Brown JP, auctioneer and house factor, had moved to Alloa in his teens and had died there at his home, Salisbury House, Forth Street, on 20 September 1908, aged 72, leaving a bequest to his native town. This explains the presence of the coats of arms of both Hawick and Alloa in the cartouches in the clock's NW and NE sides.

Further inscriptions in the base course on the NW and NE sides respectively indicate that the structure was constructed by local builders J Marshall & Company, and the granite-carving carried out by 'MACKAY & MORREN - ABERDEEN' - that is, Alexander Mackay and David Morren, stonemasons of Holland Street, Aberdeen.

List description revised as part of the Hawick Burgh Resurvey (2008).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17834717

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.

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