Alderman Proctor's Drinking Fountain, Gothic Revival drinking fountain in Clifton, Bristol, England
Alderman Proctor's Drinking Fountain is a limestone structure with pink marble columns and white marble surrounds, topped with a three-sided spirelet rising from its base. The whole composition rests on stepped stone and shows carved details throughout its surfaces.
The fountain was commissioned in 1872 by Alderman Thomas Proctor to commemorate the transfer of Clifton Down that had taken place a decade earlier. Architects George and Henry Godwin designed it as a lasting mark of one man's gift to the city.
The shields and inscriptions display connections between Bristol's government, local merchant traders, and Alderman Proctor himself. The way these symbols are arranged shows who held power and influence in the city during that time.
The fountain sits in Clifton close to the Mansion House and is easy to find. Visitors may notice its current location, as it was moved to this spot in 1987 from its original home on Bridge Valley Road.
The structure gained Grade II listed status in 1977, marking it as part of Bristol's heritage of about 40 public drinking fountains built by 1906. This official recognition highlights how rare it is to find one of these fountains from that era still standing in the city.
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