St Lawrence Jewry Drinking Fountain

This drinking fountain was designed in 1866 by architect John Robinson, with sculpture by Joseph Durham. It is constructed of Portland stone with polished pink granite columns and bronze relief sculpture.

The monument is square in plan, approximately 9.5 metres high and 2.7 metres wide, and is set upon two low steps. It is executed in an elaborate Gothic style, featuring a substantial base, roughly two metres high, which supports a canopy formed of four hooded niches and a central sprocketed spire. A band of carved shields decorates the top of the base. The niches are topped with steeply pitched, sprocketed hoods featuring pointed arches with carved foliate designs within the tympana, and are supported by granite columns with stiff leaf capitals. A carved stone statue of St Lawrence, holding a grid iron (related to his martyrdom), is within the north-facing niche, while the south-facing niche contains a statue of St Mary Magdalene holding a cross and with a skull at her feet. The other two niches were originally intended to hold marble slabs inscribed with the names of past benefactors.

The fountain itself is located on the north face, within a niche with a carved hood resting on granite columns. A bronze bas-relief depicting Moses striking the rock at Horeb (from Exodus XVII. IV-VI) is incorporated, with water flowing from where Moses’ staff strikes the rock. A figure of a woman offering water to her child is positioned to the left of Moses. The water flows into a shallow stone bowl supported on a broad granite column with a stone base. A new brass tap has been fitted on the south side for modern use.

A bronze plaque on the east side of the monument reads: "CITY OF LONDON / THE ST LAWRENCE & MARY MAGDALENE / DRINKING FOUNTAIN / COMMISSIONED BY THE UNITED PARISHES OF / ST LAWRENCE JEWRY & ST MARY MAGDALENE / ORIGINALLY LOCATED IN THE GUILDHALL YARD / OUTSIDE THE CHURCH OF ST LAWRENCE JEWRY FROM 1866 TO 1970 / DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT JOHN ROBINSON AND SCULPTOR JOSEPH DURHAM / RESTORED AND RELOCATED HERE IN 2010.”

The monument has been restored, requiring replacement of some stone elements.