Drinking Fountain

This drinking fountain, dated 1873, was created for the Temperance League and is located in Bishop Auckland on Durham Chare. It is built from dressed stone and ashlar and features a square plan in the Gothic Revival style. The fountain has a roll moulded segmental arch over a round-lipped basin that projects in an ogee shape above a chamfered base. The side and rear panels include small arches, with the right return being open. The front arch lintel has sloped sides, and above it, the high coping is broached to two octagonal stages topped with a cast-iron finial, which likely served as a lampholder originally. An inscription reading "ERECTED BY THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY 1873" is located above the lintel. There is a damaged water pipe inside on the left, and the fountain is no longer functioning.