10 November 2010
The completed fountain, fully restored and now sitting in a prime location opposite St. Paul’s Cathedral.
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.
3 June 2010
Work continues on laying the brickcore between the four columns
8 July 2010
Scaffolding is dismantled and the fountains old and new stone is blended together with shelter coat.
17 June 2010
The granite columns with carved caps and bases are now in position and Alan and Mark fit the cross
Harris Digital Productions recorded the project for the City of London Corporation and has set up this website to show the various stages of the restoration.
Former Location and References
The St Lawrence Jewry fountain was located just to the west of the Guildhall Yard, and south of the Guildhall itself, in the City of London.
The Design
A description of the fountain published in The Builder, 16 June 1866, describes the memorial as in ‘the Pointed style or architecture which prevailed in Italy during the fourteenth century’.
The Iconography
The water fountain of the monument was designed as a sculpture that actively pumps water into a dish, when a metal knob was pushed.
Public water fountains in London
The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain Association was founded in 1858 by Samuel Gurney M.P.