This late Victorian drinking fountain at the southern end of Blackfriars Bridge has been recalled to life.
A touch of rus-in-urbe can be found west of Blackfriars Road. Here, in the churchyard of Christ Church, stands a pointy-roofed drinking fountain reminiscent of a wishing well.
For years, it's been a forlorn sight, poorly maintained, missing its taps and bowl, and disconnected from the mains. No longer.
Thanks to the Heritage of London Trust (HOLT), working with Southwark Council and Delancey Real Estate, the fountain is back in working order. New taps and a hand-carved stone basin have been fixed in place, and new plumbing has got the water flowing again.
The fountain was originally installed in 1900 as a gift from philanthropist John Passmore Edwards. It formed part of wider works to transform the "old and somewhat neglected churchyard" into a public garden. As the London Echo wrote at the time, "The place has been tastefully laid out by the lady gardeners of the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association".
The fountain survived a devastating bomb attack in the Second World War, which saw the neighbouring church all but destroyed. In recent years, though, it too had fallen into disrepair. Now, it's back in water, and a sizeable crowd turned out to see the ribbon cutting. These included a large group of local school children, who have been closely following the restoration as part of the Proud Places youth engagement scheme.
This is the 14th historic fountain to be brought back to water by HOLT. Last year, for example, we reported on an ornamental fountain at the top of Lamb's Conduit Street, now flowing again after years in the doldrums.
Such interventions not only restore London's lost heritage, but also provide new sources of fresh water for Londoners, thereby saving us money and cutting down on plastic waste.
