Plans submitted for restoration of historic fountain with links to Free Wales Army founder

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

A scheme to restore a town centre fountain, which has a historic carving said to relate to Welsh political activist and founder of the Free Wales Army Julian Cayo-Evans, has been submitted to planners.

Lampeter Town Council, in an application to Ceredigion County Council, seeks permission to restore the town’s Grade-II-listed Harford Square fountain after receiving funding from the Transforming Towns scheme.

The 1862-built fountain, a gift from J S Harford of Peterwell to the people of Lampeter, whose family lived at the Falcondale Estate, on the outskirts of the town, was built in 1862, and was previously restored in 1990.

Drinking water

The fountain provided the first drinking water for the people in the town and reduced the need for the local women to collect water from the local rivers, a supporting statement says.

The long list of works sought include cleaning and re-pointing the fountain, together with repairs and retooling of parts, the replacement of fox-mask mouths “removed by persons unknown,” and works to “once more allow the water to flow, bringing the fountain back to life”.

It adds: “The town council has been fortunate to have received funding from the Transforming Towns fund and as a result we are now able to put the restoration of the Harford Square at the top of our agenda. This enables us, to move forward with this project, to ensure that this monument will be preserved for generations to come.”

It says “the community is determined to retain the character of the town and attract vitality, by making full use of its existing assets, by ensuring that our town is attractive, and its resources are accessible to residents and visitors alike,” adding: “During our preparatory examination of the Fountain, a carving has been discovered, of the name of a famous Lampeter character, Julian Cayo-Evans, which is of local and national heritage importance.”

Silian

Julian Cayo-Evans, born in nearby Silian, is best known as the leader of the Free Wales Army, which had as its crest Eryr Wen, a stylised white eagle.

The FWA first appeared in public at a 1965 protest against the construction of the Llyn Celyn reservoir and the following year joined Irish celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Dublin Easter Rising.

In the run-up to the 1969 investiture of the-then Prince Charles, Cayo-Evans was convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions and other public order offences.

He died at Silian in 1995.

Detailing the works intended for the fountain the town council has said: “The obelisk is very dirty, due to its proximity to the main road and has evidence of lichen growing on the stonework. The Forest of Dean Stone requires cleaning, and the lime mortar joints on the fountain plinth and obelisk require cleaning out and replacing with the appropriate mortar. There are signs of poor historic repair, in particular, the central marble stone, repaired with a bonded resin, which needs to be removed, this will in turn enable the internal workings to be inspected.

“The lettering of the inscriptions has also worn and is almost illegible. The condition of the spigots is deteriorating and require some restoration, also the four fox-mask mouths which were installed during the 1992 renovation are missing and are no longer attached. It has been noted that the most recent versions were made by a local blacksmith and were not made from the original moulds.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.