Horse Troughs

  The recent pedestrian improvements taking place at the Westgate Towers have included the correction of one of the city's most infamous street furniture anomalies. The horse trough which sits just in front of the western tower has been turned round so its inscription can finally be easily read, or at least when the works have finished it will be easy.

  According to the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association website this trough was erected by the RSPCA in 1914; however its original position was in St. Peter's Street, within the city walls. It had moved to its present site by 1928 but with the inscription hidden against the tower's wall. This made reading it a little tricky:

ROYAL SOCIETY, PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

STOP HERE BEFORE YOUR CHANCE HAS GONE,

DRINK WHAT YOU NEED AND TRAVEL ON. 

  Of course, this makes a lot more sense if you are leaving the city rather than arriving. This trough is also the 'full works' with watering points for horses and cattle, dogs (underneath) and people. The ring on the right would have had a cup on a chain secured to it allowing easy quaffing.

  There are two other troughs in Canterbury. One may be found at the top of Wincheap and is a second RSPCA trough although it also bears the Metropolitan Cattle Trough Association's name on the 'hidden side'. This was originally placed about 100 yards west of its current position according to the MDFCTA website 'at the junction of Chatham and Ashford roads'. Not sure they have that right. Note that this trough had no human watering facility. These days it  is usually resplendent with a delightful floral display.

  Lastly we have the trough on the site of St. Mary Breadman in the Parade. This is an unusual commemorative trough and forms part of the memorial to the Royal East Kent Yeomanry. This trough originally stood in the cattle market and was unveiled in 1922 by Lord Harris to mark the disbanding of the REKY (more details here on the CHAS website). It must have replaced an earlier trough however, as one is marked on the 1907 Godfrey Edition OS map reprint; this may be the trough which was erected in 1891 according to the MDFCTA website.

   There may be others in the city that I haven't come across - if so, please let me know.