Pump opposite 41 Cennick Road, Gracehill, Co Antrim

A cow-tailed cast iron water pump, likely dating from between 1900 and 1919, stands in a prominent roadside location in Gracehill. The pump is of industrial archaeological interest and is situated within a conservation area. It features a spirally incised column, a lugged spout, and a decorated cap. The pump is set within a 1.2-metre-high rectangular alcove constructed of random rubble basalt, finished with a cast-in-situ concrete capping. It is surrounded by stone cobbles and sits at a slightly lower level than the adjacent road. A plaque on the alcove walling reads: 'PRESENTED BY THE NORTHERN IRELAND TOURIST BOARD TO GRACEHILL SMALL VILLAGE CATEGORY WINNER [progressive ulster in bloom (?) (not legible)] SPONSORED BY PROGRESSIVE BUILDING SOCIETY’. While a reminder of a time when public sources were the primary source of drinking water, the pump’s provenance is unclear. According to a local source, the pump is not original to this location, having been placed on Cennick Road in the mid-1970s as part of an Environmental Improvement scheme, replacing an earlier community pump that was apparently situated at the north end of the road. This account has not been independently verified. Historic maps of Gracehill do not depict a pump at this location, although the third edition map is unavailable.