Drinking Fountain

SAFFRON WALDEN

TL5338 669-1/1/285 01/11/72

MARKET PLACE Drinking Fountain

GV II

Ornamental drinking fountain in centre of square. 1862. Designed by J Bentley (Westminster Cathedral) to commemorate marriage of Edward, Prince of Wales. Purchased by G Stacey Gibson and exhibited at the Imperial Exhibition. In contrasting stone with spouts and bowl on E and W faces. Ascending from essentially cruciform base of red sandstone with stepped podium. Niche on N and S sides, S side contains animals' drinking bowl. White limestone stage with semicircular bowls in grey marble. Then, upper ornamental stages in oolitic limestone with green and red brecciated marble shafts, also inlaid work in marble and glass. Crenellated cornice with supporting corner shafts and corbel-table, then, surmounting gabled trefoiled niches with clustered corner shafts to each face containing Biblical figure sculpture with water or building themes. Above, stages reduce in 2 registers of castellated units with corner shafts supporting angle turrets, upper one has marble roundel with coloured marble ball pattern (in Venetian style) on each face, iron finial passes through iron circlet with glass bead ornamentation. (White M: Saffron Walden's History: Saffron Walden: 1991-: 134).

Listing NGR: TL5387138525