The Sophia Water Fountain At Sk 376 445

The Sophia Water Fountain, located on Church Street in Horsley, was built in 1864 and funded by Sacheverell Sitwell. This water fountain is made of sandstone and features a square pier that stands approximately 5 feet high on a stepped chamfered base, which has an infilled circular low basin on the east side. The pier is adorned with pointed inset panels on all sides, each featuring a moulded hood with decorative foliage finials and stops. The eastern panel displays a lion's head with a water spout and an inscription that reads 'The Sophia 1864'. The north and south panels have rounded corbels at the base, designed for statues, while the west panel is topped with a rampant lion. Each panel is surmounted by a gabled roof carved from the stone, with a foliage boss at the base of each gable. This fountain, along with two others, provided the first piped water supply to the village and was named after one of Sacheverell Sitwell's daughters.