Various names have been used for this pant. It appears in the list of ancient monuments as “Pant Outside Westgate House”, and we understand it to be the pant listed by Tate as “Clayport High Pant formerly Kidland’s Well”.
This puts the date at 1755, which makes it the oldest surviving pant in Alnwick (St Michael’s Pant dates from 1759).
It is in the form of a large, squat pillar in local sandstone. There is an Iron spout on the north side,with an inscribed panel above it, and and the remains of a broken trough below. On the east side there are signs of repair, and remains of a metal bracket. On the west side there is a Wooden door fixed with screwed bars.
The top is covered with cement holding broken glass (presumably to deter vandalism), but it is not clear what lies under this. There used to be a round finial on the top, which is currently awaiting replacement. This appears in old pictures of the pant, and is mentioned in the listing entry..
English Heritage: Pant outside Westgate House. Low and square; built of ashlar with coved and ogee top, partly asphalted, with ball finial. Pipe in worn out stone tank from ogee panel containing the chamberlains’ names: Mr William Hindmarsh, Mr Robt. Richardson, Mr Edw. Bell and one obscured (i.e. about mid C18).
Tate reports that Kidland’s Well, at the bottom of Clayport Bank, was in 1755 converted into a pant.
According to Tate: The court records for 1683 record that “The Common Wells and Pant of Claport Warde are out of repair and choaked with filth and dirt which ought to be cleansed by Claport, we amerce each Inhabitant 2d.” “The inhabitants of the same ward to clean them before the faires of Alnwick next on paine of xijjs. iiijd.“
Note on inscription: There is another inscription on Pottergate Tower which reads: “This Tower was rebuilt at the expense of the Borough of Alnwick: And the new foundation laid April 28, 1768. John Grey, Senior, William Hindmarsh, Robert Richardson, Edward Bell, chamberlains“. Does this mean that the obscured name would be “John Grey Senior?