Mercantile Marine War Memorial

The Mercantile Marine War Memorial is a First World War memorial drinking fountain, built before 1936. It is made of limestone and is situated at the junction of Osmaston Road and Prenton Lane, set on a circular area of flag paving. The fountain consists of four stone blocks: a shaped plinth that serves as a step up to the front south face, and three large square blocks above featuring carved rope moulding detail at the four corners.

The fountain bowl, located on the front south face, is designed to resemble a ship’s prow, complete with a clinker-built hull, a prominent keel, and a stylised ram’s prow with volute scrolling. Above the bowl, there is a rough, squared patch of stone where the faucet would have been, and an incised cutting along with a rough semicircle beneath the bowl indicates the former drain. The north face of the fountain displays the inscription "IN RECOGNITION OF THE GALLANT SERVICES RENDERED BY THE MERCANTILE MARINE DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919," with a carved roundel above that depicts an alisee patee cross.