Wedgwood Memorial Fountain

Cadw's description

Location

Formerly sited in roadway outside National Westminster Bank.

History

Memorial drinking fountain, 1867, to Lt Col Thomas Josiah Wedgwood, 1798-1860, designed by F R Kempson, and presented by Dr F D Dyster, mayor and eminent biologist, friend of T H Huxley. Wedgwood was a personal friend of the doctor, a grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, and a career soldier. Recorded when finished as being made of four types of stone: Forest of Dean, Hannam, Red Mansfield and Combe Down, with jets of white marble and a gas lamp on top. The fountain was removed after repeated damage from traffic, and is (2001) in storage, planned for re-erection.

Exterior

Drinking fountain with a shallow octagonal basin set in the top of a tall octagonal stone pedestal ornamented with slender stone banded columns with capitals. An identical but narrower octagonal structure rises out of the basin at the top of the lower pedestal. In N and S sides of the lower pedestal are rectangular basins recessed behind cusped headed openings. In E side of the lower pedestal is a tablet inscribed: "This fountain was given by Dr Dyster in memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Wedgwood 3rd Guards, of St Mary’s Hill Tenby who died 7 November 1860, aged 62. He fought at Waterloo."

Reason for designation

Included on list as an ornate Victorian memorial fountain and retained despite removal, as intention is to reinstate.