St. Sepulchre without Newgate church
METROPOLITAN
PUBLIC DRINKING
FOUNTAIN
ERECTED ON
HOLBORN HILL
IN 1859 AND
REMOVED WHEN THE
VIADUCT WAS
CONSTRUCTED IN
1867.
| |
|---|---|
| Location | In the railings of St. Sepulchre church on the north-east corner of Holborn Viaduct/Newgate Street and Giltspur Street. |
| Inscription | THE GIFT OF SAML GURNEY M.P. 1859 |
| Inscription | THE FIRST METROPOLITAN PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAIN ERECTED ON HOLBORN HILL IN 1859 AND REMOVED WHEN THE VIADUCT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1867. |
| Inscription | REPLACE THE CUP |
| MDFCTA number | 0001 |
| Type and size | Fountain and dog trough, marble and brick. |
| Original location | Holborn Hill, subsequently moved to the railings of St Sepulchres Church Giltspur Street. |
| Date erected | June 1859 |
| Comments | The gift of Mr S. Gurney MP. This was the first fountain erected in London and was removed in October 1867 when Holborn Viaduct was constructed. Re-erected November 1913 as near as possible to original site. Although, famously, this is the first drinking fountain erected by the (then) Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association it was almost never replaced on public display. When Holborn Viaduct was built it was moved to the house of Lt. Col. H.R.Harrison at 20 Hanover Terrace, N.W. in 1867. He refused to part with it until November 1913 when it was returned as close as possible to the original site. This is MDFCTA structure [0001]. MDFCTA structure [0002] is very close by. |
| Reference(s) | Troughs & Drinking Fountains, Philip Davies: P-13, P-41 |