IN the last article we promised to tell you more about the spring water features designed and created by well-known artist, sculptor and author Rose Garrard when she lived in Malvern during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Rose is also a founder-member and was chair of Malvern Spa Association (the MSA) and the author of several fascinating books about the town and its spring water history.

The first of her commissions was a public spring water drinking spout.

As far as we are aware, surprisingly, there had never been one in the town before.

In 1996 in response to an appeal by Malvern Hills District Council in the Malvern Gazette for ideas to help regenerate Great Malvern town centre, Rose proposed the Spring Water Arts Project.

This included a trail of sculptures by different artists on lost spring water sites. In 1997, as part of its new Malvern Spa Water Strategy, the council commissioned Rose to become Malvern’s artist in residence to research the water trail and potential spring water sites.

The residency was set up in a vacant shop on Belle Vue Terrace and lasted for two months.

We had not expected such interest!

People brought local objects, images and texts which were placed in display cases and told us the histories and legends connected with Malvern and its springs and wells.

They also marked over 240 remembered springs and water sites on two giant maps pinned to the walls — at that time only 60 to 70 had been recorded.

After analysing all the information Rose identified 14 possible town centre water sites and suggested 33 historical themes in her report to the council.

She was then commissioned to create the new public drinking spout and spent months working on the design of the feature, carrying out extensive research and consultation.

The water supply would come from the springs at Happy Valley, Rushey Valley and Ivy Scar Rock on the hill slopes above Belle Vue Island.

This water is collected in a large pipe running under the A449 Worcester Road. The spout would tap into the pipe with a UV filter installed to comply with Environmental Health regulations.

The final design is a fine female figure sculpted by Rose herself in stone and bronze with elements representing the three springs that supply the spout, the three roads that meet there and the three most important periods in Malvern`s history — ancient Celtic origins, the coming of Christianity and the growth of the town in Victorian times with the Water Cure.

In a poll in the Malvern Gazette a local resident suggested that the spout should be called ‘Malvhina’ after a Gaelic princess that Dr Charles Grindrod, a Victorian ‘water-curist’, writer and historian, had connected with the naming of Malvern.

Councillor Pat Raven unveiled the spout on September 4, 1998.

Today residents and visitors regularly collect and drink water from the spout and all agree it is of real benefit to the town.

Our columnist Carly Tinkler is the president of the Malvern Spa Association (MSA).