Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain

The Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain, also known as the Victoria Fountain, was built in 1862 by H A Darbyshire. This elaborate Victorian Gothic structure features Moorish influences. It consists of a solid octagonal central chamber surrounded by an octagonal rib-vaulted arcade, all resting on a wide plinth of the same shape, with a flight of steps on each side. The fountain is made of dressed sandstone, with inlays and polished stone features.

The ogee pointed roof, covered in shaped slates, includes clock faces alternating with small windows and is topped with a vane finial. Below the blocking course, there is an ornamental corbel table with inlaid polychrome patterns and cusped round openings flanking the arcade arches. The pointed arches are adorned with roll and floral mouldings and rest on pentagonal piers, which have concave inner faces that support vaulting shafts.

On alternate faces of the central chamber, shallow shell-headed niches hold heroic-sized marble boys on dolphins, who pour water from urns into wide granite basins. There is a small door on the western face, which has an inscription above that reads: "THE VICTORIAN FOUNTAIN."