Ravensworth Fountain

Heading southeast out of the pretty village of Whittingham, at a hinge in the roads, between Glanton and Callaly, stands the octagonal plinth of the Ravensworth Fountain.

With his head and shoulders proud to the wind and his trusty collie dog at his side, he should enjoy uncompromised views of Northumberland up to Thrunton Woods, but you can't help but notice his down-turned mouth.

Poor fella! I wondered what had given him the hump or maybe the wind changed, and he just got stuck like that?

With no heir apparent, Henry George Liddell, 2nd Earl of Ravensworth, known as Lord Eslington, died in 1903 at the age of 81.

These images from The National Portrait Gallery show he was an equally serious minded soul. He was succeeded by his younger brother Athole Charles John Liddell, who became 3rd Earl of Ravensworth, 4th Baron Ravensworth.

The Ravensworth's main residence was in Lamesley, Gateshead where the family were owners of mines and dabbled in politics. They built a huge mansion house on the site of Ravensworth Castle, but spent time in Northumberland at Eslington Park near Whittingham. This image from Sunniside Local History Group shows the extent of the house in Lamesley.

Maybe the poor 3rd Earl of Ravensworth had an inkling of his fate to come as by 1904, he was no more and in 1905, his wife, Countess Caroline Liddell had this commemorative fountain designed and erected in memory of her beloved husband.

Designed by George Reavell, who was educated at Alnwick Grammer School, and began his architectural practice in the same county town in 1886, his work involved both the surveying and restoration of old buildings and the design of new ones.

Reavell used sandstone ashlar blocks for the base with marble coping for the lip of the basin.

The pillar is sandstone with a statue of the Earl rising 14 feet from the octagonal trough below. This would have been the original Edwardian drinking fountain, which would have been used by people in the village and passers-by until it was switched off in 1950. There is a small protuberance at the base of the fountain, which dogs and horses possibly used to rehydrate.

The Earl is dressed smartly but casually in his plus fours and a sports jacket with a scarf hung jauntily over his shoulder, and he's leaning on his stick, being eyed by his dog. But why the long face?

Has he perhaps just lost his brace of partridge? Has he caught poachers red-handed at his Eslington Park Estate just a mile up the road, or is he considering a future where his homely pile in Lamesley will tumble as a result of mining under his own foundations, or that in some 120 years, his mines in Gateshead might no longer offer coal as a viable option?

At the base of the pillar are several inscriptions -

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT PS XX.III.I

HE SHALL FEED ME IN A GREEN PASTURE AND LEAD ME FORTH BESIDE THE WATERS OF COMFORT PS.XXIII.II.

And the personal dedications from Caroline, his wife are peppered with lichen now but read -

TO THE DEAR MEMORY

OF

ATHOLE

THIRD EARL OF

RAVENSWORTH

And

ERECTED

BY HIS WIFE

CAROLINE

COUNTESS OF

RAVENSWORTH

Whilst striking in position, the monument is perhaps a sad reflection of a man who held his role for just seven short months.

I took away from it the image of his crudely carved sad face and sorry expression and wondered why his wife Caroline would have allowed the stone mason to chisel away such a charmless, downturned expression to be held in time and for everyone to remember him by.

Sad, tall Athole.

He just needs a little tickle and a hug.