Drinking Fountain (Approximately 2 Metres North East Of Children'S Pond)

This drinking fountain, located approximately 2 meters north-east of the Children's Boating Pond in Regent's Park, was installed in 1878 by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. It is made of polished pink granite and features a hexagonal base with a niche that holds a semi-circular dog bowl. The circular pedestal has a circular top with four D-shaped inset basins and a central fluted urn with spouts. The fountain is set on a hexagonal stone ground, which includes four rectangular grey granite standing blocks designed for children. Founded in 1859, the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association aimed to provide free fresh water to people and animals at a time when clean water was scarce and often contaminated. The association, which added cattle troughs in 1867, was supported by evangelical Victorians who valued the connection between water and purity of spirit. They offered a range of functional designs, although some affluent patrons commissioned their own unique versions.