Survey Data

Reg No

22803037


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Artistic, Historical, Social, Technical


Original Use

Fountain


In Use As

Fountain


Date

1885 - 1890


Coordinates

246553, 115264


Date Recorded

23/07/2003


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Freestanding cast-iron memorial fountain, dated 1887, comprising decorative plinth with lion motifs supporting basins having cylindrical shaft over on moulded base with foliate detailing, inscribed shield, and moulded capping on Corinthian-style capital. Set on island site in circular pond with replacement kerbing, c.1990, replacement concrete block cobbled footpath, c.1990, and grass verge to circumference.

Appraisal

An appealing fountain occupying a prominent site in the centre of Portlaw, forming the focal point of The Square. The various raised elements, including foliate detailing, enhance the artistic design quality of the composition. The fountain also represents an important, early-surviving artefact of cast-iron ware, while the pump mechanisms, which are reputed to survive intact, identify the technical engineering significance of the piece. The fountain is of particular significance in the locality on account of its associations with William Robert Caldbeck (d. 1887).