The fountain was originally erected in 1866 outside the Church of St Lawrence Jewry near Guildhall as a gift to the City of London from the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. It was designed by architect John Robinson and the bronze sculpture was carried out by the artist Joseph Durham. It was dismantled into approximately 150 pieces and put into storage in the 1970s during the redevelopment of Guildhall.
The fountain was restored and rebuilt at the eastern end of Carter Lane Gardens at the south of St Paul’s Cathedral.