This public drinking spout brought spring water back to the town centre for the first time in at least thirty years – from Happy Valley, Rushey Valley and Ivy Scar Rock. The design of the female figure sculpted in stone and bronze, has a triple theme incorporating elements representing the three springs that supply the spout , the three roads that meet here and the three most important periods in Malvern`s history, – the ancient Celtic origins, the coming of Christianity and the growth of the town in Victorian times. To meet current Environmental Health regulations, the supply of spring water to this new public spout is passed through U.V. and carbon filters to ensure it is safe to drink.
In response to an appeal in the local press for ideas to help regenerate Great Malvern town centre, in 1995/6 Rose Garrard independently proposed the “Spring Water Arts Project” to the Malvern Hills District Council. This was for a ‘Malvern Water Trail’ of sculptures by different internationally known artists on lost spring water sites throughout Great Malvern. In 1997 the Council commissioned her to become Malvern’s Artist in Residence in a vacant shop on Belle Vue Terrace, to research the water trail and spring water sites. For two months Malvern people came with local objects, images and texts for the display cases and told her the histories and legends connected with Malvern and its wells and springs. They also marked over 240 remembered springs and water sites on two giant maps. From this information Rose identified 14 possible town centre water sites and suggested 33 historical themes for commissions to artists in her report to the Council.
Rose had now moved her studio from London to West Malvern and in 1998 began work on ‘Malvhina’ the first sculpture on the first site, Belle Vue Island. This public drinking spout brought spring water back to the town centre for the first time in at least thirty years – from Happy Valley, Rushey Valley and Ivy Scar Rock. The design of the female figure sculpted in stone and bronze, has a triple theme incorporating elements representing the three springs that supply the spout , the three roads that meet here and the three most important periods in Malvern`s history, – the ancient Celtic origins, the coming of Christianity and the growth of the town in Victorian times. To meet current Environmental Health regulations, the supply of spring water to this new public spout is passed through U.V. and carbon filters to ensure it is safe to drink.
In a Newspaper poll, a local resident suggested the spout should be called ‘Malvhina’ after a Gaelic princess that Charles Grindrod, a Victorian historian, had connected with the naming of Malvern. Councillor Pat Raven unveiled the spout on 4th September 1998, but with changes in the District Council following local elections no new Arts Officer was appointed, disqualifying the ‘Malvern Water Trail’ from further grant aid and so no further artists were commissioned In 1999 Malvhina was Well Dressed for the first time as part of the May Day Festival.
Many people only fill small bottles of water here as parking close by is usually difficult.