Matilda Fountain, Grade II listed fountain at Gloucester Gate, Regent's Park, England
Matilda Fountain is a bronze sculpture in Regent's Park featuring a milkmaid holding a pail with one hand raised to shade her eyes. The structure served historically as a public drinking fountain and remains a functional artwork within the park landscape.
The work was created in 1878 by sculptor Joseph Durham as part of a Victorian movement to provide public drinking fountains across London. This initiative aimed to offer free refreshment for both people and animals in the expanding city.
The fountain represents the connection between urban and rural life through its depiction of a milkmaid, reflecting the agricultural heritage of London.
The fountain sits at Gloucester Gate adjacent to the park and is easily visible from the street. You can visit anytime as it stands in an openly accessible area of the park.
The work was named after Matilda Kent, wife of a local church official who funded the project. Combining artistic design with practical function as a public drinking fountain was an innovative approach to urban space at that time.
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