Fox Spring

I have to thank Mr Flum for this photo, which he took on his walk round the environs close to home. 

There are several such buildings in the area, similar to this one, they are the capped springs of a C17 network constituting Comiston Springs, Edinburgh's first piped water supply. This is one of three under the name of Fox Spring; the water from all the different springs is collected in the cistern house in the nearby park.

For many years we have been concerned about the condition of these springs, as some have been neglected, surrounded by vegetation with growth of plants and trees through the stonework, fearing that they may be suffering permanent damage. 

The recent (rather radical) clearance of debris surrounding this ( and hopefully, in due course, the other nearby) is a welcome indication that they have at last been adopted by Scottish Water, who (we trust) will repair and continue to maintain them.
I suspect this has come about as there are two such springs (the Peewits) in worse condition, on the site of the Hunters' Tryst Primary School, which was demolished following a fire in 2008 and where there is activity prior to commencement of building work. Clearly, at some point, those will be exposed and would present an eyesore prejudicial to any potential house sale. 

We await the restoration of all these little buildings, to respect their significance as a part of Edinburgh's history.