Working order: the drinking fountain at the junction of Surey Street and Croydon High Street has been lovingly conserved by the Heritage of London Trust
The monumental drinking fountain at the top of Surrey Street market has been restored to full working order, thanks to work by the Heritage of London Trust.
Reconnected to the water supply, a new push-button system has been inserted to allow water to flow from the lion’s mouth.
During restoration, more than 300 young people from local schools and youth groups have visited the work under restoration to meet conservators and take part in creative workshops as part of Heritage of London Trust’s Proud Places youth engagement programme.
The fountain – just at the entrance to the market from Croydon High Street – was built in 1896 and marked the completion of a Victorian redevelopment programme.
In the 1880s, Croydon’s overcrowded market had become a cause for concern. In 1883, Croydon established a high street improvement committee, and the solutions to having “a narrow alley for a high street” were debated. “If they could have fine shops in the town, with good stocks, very likely a lot of business that went to London would stay at Croydon.”
Croydon High Street was widened from 29ft to 50ft, to allow for electric trams, which until the 1950s ran from Purley, through Croydon, all the way to the Victoria Embankment in central London.
Work in progress: the fountain and plaque has been the focus of several weeks’ work on Surrey Street
The widening project required the clearance of an entire historic, triangular urban block within the marketplace, bounded by Surrey Street, High Street and Church Street. In 1883, the block was a network of medieval alleys and courtyards. It was comprehensively redeveloped over the next 20 years, creating the street layout of today.
According to the Heritage of London Trust, “The Surrey Street drinking fountain is a fine example of Victorian craftsmanship and civic design.
“It’s quite an unusual, multi-purpose structure, incorporating steps, a boundary wall and a drinking fountain with a gathering place in front, elegantly reconciling the sharp, uphill junction of Surrey Street and the High Street.
“The fountain is made of high-quality materials that are quintessential of the late 19th-Century, including faience (glazed terracotta), granite and cast iron.”
The Heritage of London Trust is an independent charity helping restore historic buildings and monuments across the capital. It has been spearheading restoration projects for more than 45 years and has helped preserve more than 850 heritage sites.
The fountain at Surrey Street lies just a stone’s throw away from one of Croydon’s earliest sources of fresh water.
One year after the landmark 1848 Public Health Act, the Croydon Local Board of Health was formed to administer the supply of water, the maintenance of sewers, drainage and streets within the town. It was one of the first local boards of health in the country.
In 1851, the pumping station was opened on the site of an historic well off Surrey Street.
Good works: the HOLT sign on Croydon High Street
Public drinking fountains provided an important source of fresh drinking water and were erected in increasing numbers across London from the 1850s onwards. Drinking fountains provided a vital public amenity for those who could not afford piped water in their homes, with many older pumps and conduits being the source of contaminated water.
The first public drinking fountain in London was erected at St Sepulchre Without Newgate church in the City of London in 1859. By the time the Surrey Street fountain was installed in 1896, clean drinking water was available to a much greater proportion of the population, but drinking fountains remained a basic, expected amenity within public spaces.
Dr Nicola Stacey, a director at the Heritage of London Trust, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the restoration of this historic fountain in the heart of Croydon – a source of much local pride 130 years ago. It’s been fantastic to involve Croydon’s young people in the project through our Proud Places programme.”
There is to be a formal unveiling of the restored fountain this Friday, July 18, at 10am.
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Interesting to be reminded that Croydon’s centre was once redeveloped due to too MUCH demand!
Thank you for this good news story.