Jubilee Horse Trough

I have been saving this beautiful blip in the 'ideas bank' as it required a bright day when the trees were bare of leaves as the subject is north-facing under a tree covered bank. Today promised these conditions so we took off for the pretty village of Innerwick.

Category B listed, it was built for Richard Hunter of Thurston House on the occasion of the Jubilee of Queen Victoria, the initials VR and date 1887 appear on a decorative cast-iron structure below the incised slate inscription (do look at the detail in large). This is wonderfully sympathetic to the working animal and a warning against mistreatment:

A MAN OF KINDNESS

TO HIS BEAST IS KIND

BUT BRUTAL ACTIONS

SHOW A BRUTAL MIND

REMEMBER! HE WHO MADE THEE

MADE THE BRUTE

WHO GAVE THEE SPEECH AND REASON

FORMED HIM MUTE

HE CAN'T COMPLAIN

BUT GOD'S ALL-SEEING EYE

BEHOLDS THY CRUELTY

AND HEARS HIS CRY

HE WAS DESIGNED THY SERVANT

NOT THY DRUDGE

REMEMBER! HIS CREATOR

IS THY JUDGE

The trough bears the casting mark of the manufacturer, Macfarlane of Glasgow; no longer in use it is filled with floral displays.

Having the blip in the bag we continued to a very windy Eyemouth to watch the white horses on the sea while fishing boats took shelter in the safety of the harbour.