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Ornate drinking fountain for humans and animals in Renaissance style. Base is grey granite with lions head gargoyles through which water passed into lower troughs. Granite balls at each corner. Whole surmounted by cornice and canopy of Portland stone with voluted Ionic columns supporting balustraded canopy. Gargolyles at each corner. Central fountain of red granite. The centrepiece was a statue of a boy.

The fountain was donated anonymously by Eliza Openshaw, daughter of Oliver Ormerod Openshaw, one of Bury's leading cotton manufacturers. The Openshaws were, according to the Guardian "one of the oldest of the many old families which Bury can boast," whose histories were indeed "a great deal of the history of the town itself."(1) Mrs Openshaw's gift was made though a local vet, Mr W Noar, the brother-in-law of designer T. R. Kitsell, but the identity of the donor soon became an open secret. The fountain was praised for allowing easy access to carters unlike roadside troughs, the use of which often caused traffic obstrctions. Despite the ornate decoration, carters were said to be better able to allow their horses to drink from the fountain without causing an obstruction because it was set back from the road. The ample provision of taps allowed three horses, three dogs and and two men to drink at the same time. The cost of the fountain was £600.(2) The granite statue of a boy which stood in the aedicule has been removed.

Erected to commemorate Queen Victoria's jubilee.

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Marble base chipped

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Statue in centre missing