Alan Titchmarsh to unveil new Ilkley fountain
2025-02-03
Category: entertainment

A fountain has been replaced for the first time since the 1960s after a "gift" was made to a town.The new water feature at the top of Brook Street in Ilkley is the first in the location since the original Victorian fountain installed in 1886 was removed after sustaining damage by vandals 60 years ago.The spot where it had stood was turned into a flowerbed before local artist Juliet Gutch designed a new version which uses water that flows down from Ilkley Moor.Improving Ilkley, which raised funds for the project, said that broadcaster and TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh would unveil the fountain on 30 April. 
The design is inspired by a small plant which inhabits the West Yorkshire moor, well-known for the song it inspired, called 'On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at' The plant - a spongey "bog moss" called sphagnum moss - holds water and stores carbon, helping to remove it from the atmosphere and permanently store it in peat.The fountain design is a 5ft (1.5m) galvanised steel structure which is gravity-fed, recycling water coming down the hill from Ilkley Moor.Louise Hepworth-Wood, from Improving Ilkley, said a team of volunteers planted bulbs around the fountain on Sunday, and installed corten steel name plates around the perimeter. These plates bear the names of people who donated money to the fountain project.Ms Wood said: "Over the next few weeks we will be optimising the flow of water, so don't worry if the fountain is turned off while we do this. "There will be some more planting in advance of our official opening an all are welcome to attend."Members of Improving Ilkley will be at the fountain on Wednesday 12 February, to answer any questions people may have. The next phase of the project is to add more seating to the area - known locally as the "monkey rack", as people used to sit on benches there looking like the proverbial three wise monkeys.The charity added: "We would like to thank all the individuals and businesses that have supported us throughout. The Ilkley Fountain is our gift to the town."Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.