Drinking Fountain in South East Corner of Churchyard, Church of Saint Martin of Tours is a Grade II listed building in the Somerset local planning authority area, England. First listed on 30 August 1984. Drinking fountain.
Drinking Fountain in South East Corner of Churchyard, Church of Saint Martin of Tours
- WRENN ID
- quiet-minaret-evening
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Somerset
- Constituency
- Yeovil MP: Adam Dance (LD)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 30 August 1984
- Type
- Drinking fountain
- Address
- Drinking Fountain in South East Corner of Churchyard, Church of Saint Martin of Tours, Church Street, West Coker
- OS grid reference
- ST 516 135
- Coordinates
- 50.91951, -2.68883
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The drinking fountain, located in the southeast corner of the churchyard of the Church of Saint Martin of Tours, was built in 1887 and is made of ham stone. It stands on a squarish base approximately 600 millimeters wide, with a stone bowl about 600 millimeters high. Above this is a tapered column around 2 meters high, creating the appearance of a pinnacle. The fountain features roll moulds along the edges, a string course, and corner gablets adorned with figures that appear to be praying or drinking. Between these gablets are two shields displaying the initials W.C.L. and E.W., which refer to Miss Wood. At the top, there is a short spirelet topped with a stone state crown.
A panel on the fountain bears the inscription: "To the Glory of God, built in Jubilee Year 1887. Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I give shall (never thirst John 4 v 13-14)," although the text in brackets has eroded over time. Water flows from a lion's head, which is now fitted with a tap. The fountain was largely instigated by Miss Wood, and the ceremonial silver key used to 'open' it is preserved in the Church of Saint Martin of Tours.
Local climate
Drinking Fountain in South East Corner of Churchyard, Church of Saint Martin of Tours receives an average of 820 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 51% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 65% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 30 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 66% of listed buildings. Of these, 12 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.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- No related consent applications matched
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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- Church of Saint Martin of Tours
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