The first water officially flowed into the town on 31 August 1870 and at 10.30 am on that day Henry Fearon unveiled a water fountain of Portland stone in the Market Place, 10 feet in height. Its design, by a Mr Forsyth, is perhaps best described as rusticated Gothic with four pillars of Cornish granite, and may have taken the Albert Memorial as its inspiration. As well as the drinking fountain, the lion heads on two sides dispensed water into cattle troughs, for use on market days, and there was an additional small drinking trough for dogs. It bore the inscription, ‘Our common mercies loudly call, For praise to God, who gives them all. The cost, said to be £160, was met by Fearon, who presented it to the local board in trust for the town.