The Story of London’s Victorian Drinking Fountains
This ornate and gothic Victorian drinking fountain originally sat beside the church of St Lawrence Jewry in Guildhall Yard, but it was moved here after WWII. Guildhall Yard at the time was not the large open space it is today – there were buildings crowded close to it, and so this fountain sat in a little courtyard in front of the church.
The church was badly damaged in the Blitz, but the fountain survived. During building works to repair the church and surrounding buildings, the fountain was dismantled in 1970 and stored in boxes. Thirty years later, a place was found for it by Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s.
Although the plaque states the water is no longer functioning, when I stopped here on one of my City Highlights walks, I pressed the button and was able to fill my water bottle with fresh, cold drinking water.
Origins of the Fountain
Above are the two patron saints for the parishes that funded the fountain – St Lawrence and St Mary Magdalene. It cost £500 to build, with funds from the parish. The architect was John Robinson and the sculptor was Joseph Durham.
The day-to-day running of the fountain was taken over by the London Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. Founded in 1859 by MP Samuel Gurney and philanthropist Edward Thomas Wakefield, the association built fountains to supply Londoners with safe drinking water.
The Water Crisis in Victorian London
n the mid-19th century, water was a deadly issue. Charles Dickens wrote in Little Dorrit (1855–57):
“Through the heart of the town a deadly sewer ebbed and flowed, in the place of a fine fresh river.”
At that time, many Londoners drank water piped directly from the Thames. Even water pumped from outside the city risked contamination. Wells were close to leaking cesspools.
The population of London had doubled between 1800 and 1850, but infrastructure – housing, sanitation and plumbing – lagged behind. Cholera outbreaks were common, killing tens of thousands. The 1848 epidemic alone claimed 46,000 lives. Pipes laid through burial grounds were contaminated by bacteria, germs, and calcium from decomposing bodies.
Sydney Smith, a cleric and humourist, remarked:
“He who drinks a tumbler of London water has literally in his stomach more animated beings than there are men, women and children on the face of the globe.”
The Big Stink of 1858
A scorching summer intensified the smell of the polluted Thames river. The stench forced Parliament to close, and curtains were soaked in lime to mask the odour. This crisis pushed the government into action, and Joseph Bazalgette’s sewage system began to transform the city.
The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association
Samuel Gurney and Edward Wakefield established the association in 1859 to provide free water for people and animals. The first fountain was built in 1859 at St Sepulchre without Newgate, used by 7,000 people daily. The trough next to it supplied water to 1,800 horses every 24 hours.
The popularity of these fountains was so great that 85 more were built within six years. Many were gifts from City Aldermen, councillors, or philanthropists.
Favourite Examples of City Fountains
One of my favourite fountains is in the wall of the gardens of St Mary Aldermanbury in Love Lane. Like many others, it is made from rose granite with a brass spout. Unusually, the original drinking cup is still attached to the chain. Installed in November 1890, it was a gift from Ward Deputy Robert H. Rogers.
This fountain also had a trough at street level for horses and other animals. Such gifts reflected the governance of the City, which is divided into 25 wards – a system dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.
Cattle Troughs and “Victorian Filling Stations”
In collaboration with the RSPCA, the association also built troughs for horses, cattle, and dogs. These were especially important near Smithfield Market. So vital were these troughs that they began to be marked on maps and were nicknamed “Victorian filling stations”.
Surviving troughs are often large granite ones, now planted with flowers. Earlier cast iron or timber designs proved too fragile.
Fountains in the Modern City
The City continues to restore historic fountains, while also installing new ones – a practical benefit when leading walks, as they allow for water bottle refills.
There is one opposite Pudding Lane at Monument – a poignant reminder that in 1666, London was facing drought when the Great Fire broke out.
Other fountains I use include the one outside St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside and another outside St Paul’s Churchyard.
Legacy of the Fountains
The fountains of London tell stories not only of philanthropy and Victorian design but also of public health, urban growth, and the resilience of the City. They remain both useful and symbolic reminders of how access to something as simple as clean drinking water transformed London life.
To learn more about the City, book a private City Highlights Tour or join a public walk.
