Fountains, Lamps, Balustrades, Railings And Statues To Front Of Victoria Rooms

The front of the Victoria Rooms features fountains, lamps, balustrades, railings, and statues, all designed in 1912 by Edwin Rickards and Henry Poole. This decorative ensemble is made from pennant ashlar, limestone balustrades, cast-iron railings and lamps, and bronze statues. The area includes a raised forecourt with curved steps leading to a large fountain adorned with bronze aquatic statues and granite urns. Flanking the fountain are plinths with flagstaffs on moulded bases, turned balustrades with lamps, and curved railings topped with urn finials. At the rear, there are bronze lions in a couchant position, and piers at the outer gateways feature lamps on moulded bases. Rickards and Poole were a prominent partnership during the Edwardian period, and this work is a notable example of their craftsmanship.