Click Here to go Back

WATER  TROUGH

Our water trough is very special: It has been carved out of a single huge piece of Granite and would have been very expensive even in 1889 when the stables were built.

In those days it had a lid to stop leaves and rubbish falling into it. You can see the ridge that has been carved for the lid around the top of the trough.

It is filled by rain water from the stable roof. In dry weather the stable boys would have had to carry water in buckets from a well behind the stables. Today we have the luxury of mains water !

The piece of wood floating in the trough is a Bird Raft.It gives the little birds somewhere to land so that they can drink without falling in the trough and drowning.It is very important in the summer when the baby birds first leave their nests.