Cast-iron column from the Crystal Palace

The cast-iron column from the Crystal Palace is a notable remnant of the 1851 Great Exhibition building. It has been excavated and re-erected on a terrace just north of the southern water tower, which was constructed between 1854 and 1856. This column is one of 3,300 originally found in the Great Exhibition Building. It features a base column that would have supported a second column via a connecting-piece. The column has a circular plan with four flat surfaces, giving it an octagonal appearance. It stands 5.8 meters tall and has a hollow center that functioned as a drainpipe. The base includes a separately-cast base-plate secured by four bolts, while the top has a fragment of the connecting-piece, also attached by four bolts. The column has been re-painted in alternating pale blue and yellow.