Water Terrace Gardens, Bernini Fountain on West Terrace is a Grade I listed building in the West Oxfordshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 27 August 1957. A C17 Fountain.

Water Terrace Gardens, Bernini Fountain on West Terrace

WRENN ID
moated-sandstone-saffron
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
West Oxfordshire
Constituency
Bicester and Woodstock MP: Calum Miller (LD)
Country
England
Date first listed
27 August 1957
Type
Fountain
Address
Water Terrace Gardens, Bernini Fountain on West Terrace, Blenheim
OS grid reference
SP 439 160
Coordinates
51.84089, -1.363
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Bernini Fountain, located on the West Terrace of Water Terrace Gardens, is a Grade I listed fountain dating from the late 17th century and was restored in 1932. It is made of marble and limestone and features four figures representing the rivers Nile, Ganges, Plata, and either the Danube or Tiber, all arranged on a rocky plinth surrounding an obelisk. This fountain is a small-scale version of the one designed by Bernini at the Piazza Navona in Rome and was presented to the Duke of Marlborough in 1710 by the Spanish ambassador to the Papal Court in Rome. The fountain was restored in 1932 and is situated in the lower Water Terrace Gardens, which were designed by Achille Duchene for the Ninth Duke between 1925 and 1930.

Local climate

Water Terrace Gardens, Bernini Fountain on West Terrace receives an average of 750 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 71% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 65% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 34 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 51% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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  1. Water Terrace Gardens, West Terrace Grade II 28 m
  2. Water Terrace Garden, East Terrace Grade II 77 m
  3. Blenheim Palace Grade I 152 m
  4. Temple of Diana Grade II* 166 m
  5. East Formal Garden, Steps in North West Corner Grade II 207 m
  6. East Formal Garden, Steps in South West Corner Grade II 213 m
  7. East Formal Garden, Fountain in Centre Grade II 238 m
  8. East Formal Garden, Statue of Knifegrinder in North East Corner Grade II* 268 m
  9. East Formal Garden, Statue of Wrestlers in South East Corner Grade II* 271 m
  10. East Formal Garden, Steps to East Side Grade II 278 m