Fountain

Fountain from St Pauls

Erection date: 6/11/1909

Opposite sides of the fountain carry two shields: the coat of arms of the City of London and, shown in our photo, the coat of arms of St Pauls Dean and Chapter, as shown in this lapel badge from the WW2 fire watch.

LondonGardensTrust give "D. C. Penrose" as the name of the designer of the St Paul's fountain but The Friends of Priory Park convincingly give Francis Cranmer Penrose, together with the full story behind its creation and its move to Priory Park.

In 1874 the foundations of Paul's Cross were discovered in the north-east section of the garden at St Pauls Cathedral. The City of London erected this fountain in 1880 to mark the spot. Which was fine until 1905 when Henry Charles Richards died with a bequest for the erection of a 'St. Paul's Cross' on or near the site of the original, which meant the fountain had to go.

There were apparently 9 applicants to receive the fountain but Ebblewhite won and it was agreed that Hornsey could have the fountain provided Hornsey paid the cost of removal and re-erection. The Lord Mayor of London, Sir George Wyatt Truscott, unveiled the fountain in its new location. Being near the end of his term of office this was the last public function Ebblewhite performed.

Apparently the fountain was still working until the late 1960s. So that's when our civilisation lost the ability to maintain functioning fountains.

Site: Fountain from St Pauls (1 memorial)

N8, Middle Lane, Priory Park

When the fountain arrived this part of Priory Park was known as Hornsey Pleasure Grounds.

A nearby information board gives: "... originally placed in the churchyard of St Paul's Cathedral in 1880. The Corporation of the City of London presented the fountain to the Borough of Hornsey in celebration of the Mayoralty of Ernest Arthur Ebblewhite Esquire and it was unveiled in Priory Park in 1909. The fountain bears the Arms of the City of London and is made of 50 tons of Lamorna granite. It originally boasted a vertical jet of water from the base and four jets that spouted up into the upper basin, but in recent years it has acted as an impressive planter."