Fountains And Terrace Walls With Lampstandards, Steps And Stone Bollards Enclosing The Square

The fountains and terrace walls, together with their lampstands, steps, and stone bollards, enclose the open space of Trafalgar Square. The walls and steps date principally from 1840, designed by Sir Charles Barry as a formal setting for Nelson's Column. The fountains were remodelled in 1939 to designs by Sir Edwin Lutyens, incorporating sculpture by Sir Charles Wheeler and W McMillan.

The walls are constructed of granite, with bronze lampstands and sculpture. Sir Charles Barry defined and levelled the square, creating heavy granite terrace walls on three sides, incorporating steps and statue pedestals at the north-east and north-west corners. A line of massive granite bollards runs along the south side, connecting to the base of Nelson's Column. The walls feature a plinth base and a roll-lipped coping. The east and west ends terminate in tall circular pedestals, topped with polygonal bronze lanterns; the eastern lantern serves as a police post. Bronze plates representing the Imperial Standards of Length are set into the north terrace wall below the balustraded parapet, alongside busts of Admirals Jellicoe, Beatty, and Cunningham, also by Wheeler and McMillan, dating from 1948. Bronze lampstands with Nico lanterns are positioned at intervals along the terrace walls, with more elaborate polygonal lanterns flanking the steps to the north, mirroring those on the southern pedestals. The fountain basins are square-shaped, with granite retaining walls and marble "vase" fountains, alongside bronze Mermen and Mermaid groups by Wheeler and McMillan.

Trafalgar Square, recognised as such from 1830, originates from a proposal by John Nash in 1811-12, and was fully elaborated as part of Nash's Metropolitan – West Strand Improvements of 1824-26.