Obelisk And Fountain

The obelisk and fountain, located in Victoria Gardens, Brighton, is a monument dating from 1871 and constructed of granite. It features a notionally circular base that is divided into two broad segments, which were originally drinking troughs for animals, and two narrow segments that provide access to two raised drinking basins for humans. The base is octagonal and tapers to a square. On the south side of the square, there is a bronze plaque that commemorates the gift of the monument to the town by Frederick Chatfield in 1871. A plaque on the north side lists the names of Richard Webb, the Mayor, and Richard Keirle, the architect. Rising above the base is the needle of the obelisk, which has a narrow chamfered band near its base and a broader plain band slightly higher up. Approximately halfway up the needle, there are 8-pointed stars cut into the stonework, with one star on the north side and one on the south side.