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"Erected in honour of Alexander Smollett of Bonhill by his feuars and tenants and other friends in the county to perpetuate his name as a kind and just landlord and in appreciation of valuable services rendered to the county both in its local courts and as its representative in Parliament A.D. 1870."

The fountain as a whole is shown in NS3980 : The Smollett Fountain, and in three other contributors' earlier pictures: NS3980 : Alexandria, Smollett Fountain, NS3980 : Fountain Alexandria, and NS3980 : Smollett Fountain, Alexandria. For the information panel on its northern side, see NS3980 : Alexandria Plaque on Smollet Fountain.

Click on the end-note title, below, to see various architectural details of the fountain.

The book "Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, and Loch Lomond" (Donald MacLeod, 1884) supplies the following information (see pages 111 and 112 on the fountain, and pages 114 to 116 on Mr Greenlees): the inscription, quoted above, was composed by Mr William Greenlees (cashier of the Alexandria Works of John Orr Ewing & Co); the fountain was built to the designs of John McLeod (NS4076 : Memorial to John McLeod, Town Architect); the memorial stone was laid with Masonic honours by Mr W.C.Steele, Advocate, Sheriff-Substitute of the County (NS4076 : The Cuninghame Steele Memorial); on the day, there was also a large procession.

Until just a few years before this fountain was erected, an oak tree stood only a short distance from this spot; the oak served as a gathering point for meetings of various kinds.

An information panel beside the fountain states that it was built by the local builder William Barlas (NS3979 : The Barlas/Forrest Memorial), using sandstone from Bannockburn and Aberdeen. It also notes that the design of the fountain had been made the subject of a competition; the architectural practice of Adamson & McLeod were awarded the contract after submitting the winning design (there were 36 entries in total).