Building record MDR12339 - Public shelter, Uttoxeter Road, Foston

This stone roadside shelter, now used as a bus shelter, was originally erected in 1874 by Mrs Caroline Broadhurst as a memorial to her husband John Broadhurst of Foston Hall who died that year. It bears the initials 'JB' and the date '1874' above the entrance. Originally for use by the many foot travellers passing through the village, it has a stone-covered pump on the rear wall with a wrought iron handle and a metal cup attached to the pump by a metal chain, as well as an open trough behind the wall in the field, so that when someone pumped water into the cup, water also filled up the trough for cows or horses. The upper half of three sides of the shelter were open and there was a bench along two walls that travellers could rest on, or even sleep overnight if necessary. In front of the pump was a small low-sided trough into which water could be pumped so that tired travellers could wash or cool aching feet. Since around the 1960s the shelter has served as a bus stop shelter, with the pump, trough and original benches removed, the window spaces filled in with stone blocks and one bench placed along the rear wall. Despite these changes, this is an unusual, if not unique building that is still serving the community as it did when it was first erected. (1)