Major award for restored Victoria Fountain
A complex restoration project which saw the historic Victoria Fountain on Brighton’s Old Steine returned to its former glory, has won a prestigious award.
The Victoria Fountain Restoration Project has won the Refurbishment Project Category of the Institution of Structural Engineers South Eastern awards.
The good news comes as the fountain has been switched on for the Spring and Summer seasons, along with the nearby Mazda Fountain.
The year long refurbishment project was managed by officers from the council’s property and design team, working closely with engineers from HOP consulting.
Icing on the cake
Council leader Bella Sankey said: “Seeing the iconic Victoria Fountain restored to its former glory was one of the highlights of last year, and to discover that it has now won a major award is the icing on the cake!
“I’m delighted to see our two historic fountains have now been switched back on, and that residents and visitors can enjoy the cascading water and stunning lighting effects all summer long.
“We remain committed to preserving and restoring Brighton & Hove’s precious heritage so that future generations can continue to enjoy our city’s fascinating and rich history.”
Specialist restoration
Work on the £400k restoration project began in December 2022 when the fountain was switched off, dismantled and transported to Leicester, where specialist restoration work was carried out.
This included cleaning and repairing the large cast iron dolphins and fountain pool and decorative ‘egg-and-dart’ moulding ring using the innovative ‘Fusion Cast’ process which involves welding cast iron.
The fountain returned to the Old Steine last Spring, when it was carefully reassembled on a new reinforced concrete base and fitted with new electrics, pumps and water pipes and a new lighting scheme which provides red, green, blue and white lighting which can be controlled to mark special occasions.
Victoria Fountain history
Located in the centre of the southern enclosure of the Old Steine Gardens, the Victoria Fountain has a fascinating history.
The 32 ft three-tier monument includes a large, cast-iron pool with a rim decorated with egg-and-dart mouldings and was originally filled with water lilies and goldfish.
The Sarsen stones in the centre of the pool were found in the Steine by workers digging a trench in 1823.
The sandstone blocks support three intertwined dolphins, upon which rests a shallow, cast-iron basin. Above this are two columns with an additional basin.
Commemorating Queen Victoria
The fountain owes its existence to the efforts of John Cordy Burrows. After the commissioners of the town of Brighton decided against erecting a fountain to commemorate Queen Victoria's accession to the throne in 1837, Burrows placed a private commission with British architect Amon Henry Wilds.
The project was financed by Burrows and a public subscription, along with the proceeds of a bazaar, concert, and night at the theatre.
The dolphins were sculpted by William Pepper (1806–1887), from a Brighton family of wood carvers and sculptors, and the castings were made at the Eagle Foundry on Gloucester Road in Brighton. Owned by partners John Yearsley and Robert Williams, the firm also installed the fountain.
A citywide celebration
The inauguration of the fountain on 25 May 1846 to mark the 27th birthday of Queen Victoria, was a spectacular citywide celebration.
The ceremony featured a royal salute fired from the pier head at noon, co-ordinated with the starting of the fountain.
Music specially commissioned for the event, included "Fountain Quadrilles" by Charles Coote, Burrows’ son-in-law.
Local businesses closed at 3pm that afternoon and the day's festivities concluded with fireworks.
Grade II listed
The fountain soon became a Brighton landmark, with prints available for purchase at local bookstores.
It was protected as a Grade II listed structure on 13 October 1952 (a Grade II structure is felt to be nationally important and of special interest).
Restoration of the fountain began in 1990, and was completed before the 1995 visit of the Prince of Wales who unveiled a plaque which reads: "To Commemorate The Visit Of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales President Of The Fountain Society On 25th May 1995 To Mark The Restoration Of The Victoria Fountain With Funding By Brighton Council and Grant Aid From English Heritage."
