FROM Roman times there has always been a drinking place for cattle passing along the road.

But in 1860 the owner of Arley Estate, Roland Egerton-Warbuton, had the building surrounding the pump restored by a distinguished architect from Liverpool.

That is the building which is situated at the crossroads today.

Roland Egerton-Warbuton was known as "the singing poet of Arley" and he produced this poem which is on a plaque above the pump:

Blessings in never ending love

Are on us put from Heaven above

This running stream with ceaseless flow

Springs from the bounteous earth below.

Alike in both his goodness shown

Whom heaven and earth there make it own.

The water hasn't been flowing at the pump since last year.

Arley Estate spokesman Charles Foster said efforts had been made to discover why this had happened.

Investigations had revealed that one of the reasons was that for some time the old cast iron pipe that carried the water had rust nodules inside which had restricted an already poor flow.

Another reason was that the chamber to which the water had flowed had become damaged.

He said having identified the problems, substantial funds were needed and the parish council were hoping to get a grant from Vale Royal Borough Council.