Fountain Horse Trough to North of White Hart Inn Birch Heywood

Designed by Edgar Wood at the cost of £100, the drinking fountain originally stood at the junction of Heywood Old Road and Whittle Lane at Birch near Middleton. Described as a handsome stone structure, it comprised a trough for horses, a smaller trough for dogs and a fountain with drinking cup for the local residents.  A lamp, (connected to the gas supply in 1889) was fitted to the top of the central square pillar. The trough was designed to commemorate the completion of a new weaving shed at Messrs Woods' textile factory in the village, and donated to the people of Birch. Upon the fountain is the family crest of the Halsey family, relations of the Wood family, who, it is said, contributed significantly to the cost of construction.

In 1921 the widening of Heywood Old Road and improvements to the Whittle Lane junction necessitated the dismantling of the trough. As an interim measure it was moved to a temporary site, on the footpath a little beyond the White Hart hotel. Here it has remainrd despite campaigns to have it restored and moved to a better location.

LISTING TEXT - Drinking fountain and horse and dog drinking troughs. 1888, relocated late C20. By Edgar Wood, architect for Messrs W.C. Wood and Brothers, textile manufacturers. Ashlar gritstone and red brick. Depressed semi circular arched structure rising from shallow gabled buttresses. The arch is supported by a square pier, rising from a red brick base, and which passes through the arch centre, the arch head carrying gablets either side of the pier. Moulded flat cap to pier, with small dome finials to corners. Located between the central pier and the outer buttresses are 2 stone troughs.