The Old Well, High Street, Penicuik

J A Bell, erected 1864. Polished ashlar sandstone octagonal well head, with ogee cap and amphora finial; flanked by curved dwarf walls with coped terminals, terminal to NE with cope missing, terminal to SW surmounted by decorative cast-iron lamp standard.

WELL: slightly advanced tooled stone panel centred in street face of octagonal base, inscribed 'The Gift of Alexr. Cowan. 1864' incorporating square metal panel and metal well tap, with advanced basin with roll-moulded coped rim centred below. Flanking sides with part-infilled arched recesses at ground for watering dogs. Ogee cap extended to form cornice, arched over street face of octagon, with scallop shell centred in arch head. Cast-iron plaque to rear face, inset with inscription recording construction of the well and its predecessor, reading, 'The old well was built on this site in 1809 by D and A Cowan who also put up the public cart weights near this at the same time. This new well designed by J A Bell architect was erected in 1864 for the water of the old spring and for the water from Sillerburn... ...at the expense and by the desire of the late Alexander Cowan'.