The 2009 Marsh Fountain Award

Posted 6th December 2009

THE ONLY AWARD FOR UK FOUNTAINS CASCADES OR WATER FEATURES.

The Fountain Society, dedicated to the building, restoration and developments of fountains cascades and water features in the UK, provided the judging panel for this extremely prestigious award.

The judges, under their Chairman Alan Bradley, were Prof. Brian Falconbridge, immediate past President of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, Tony Mott and Peter Sutherland representing the Fountain Society and David Charlesworth, representing the Marsh Christian Trust. They awarded the 2009 prize for the best new fountain or water feature in the UK in the last five years jointly to:

1. Market Cascade, Darlington Borough Council
2. The new Font, Salisbury Cathedral


With the much commended runners-up being:

1. St John's Hospice, Lancaster

2. Custom House Square, Department for Social Development, Northern Ireland


Belfast’s Custom House Square is a well used and loved civic space. The water feature and lighting bring the Square to life providing action, light and a sense of fun for all. The Department is delighted that this elegant and innovative water feature has been given national recognition at the highest level.

The awards were presented by Brian Marsh OBE, Chairman of the Marsh Award Scheme, at the Fountain Society AGM on Tuesday 24th November.

There were 17 entries for the award, the highest number ever recorded, from all areas of the UK and the judges were unanimous in their view that the standard of the entries showed that outstanding fountains and water features are becoming once again major civic, religious and corporate monuments throughout the United Kingdom.

As global warming increases the temperatures across Northern Europe, the Society expects a steady increase in the number of public bodies, businesses and private individuals who use water features as part of their contributions to public enjoyment in urban regeneration projects, public squares and buildings and private offices, homes and leisure parks etc.

It is well known that sound, as well as the look, of a fountain, can help to reduce stress levels in highly populated shopping, transport and other pedestrian areas and the society encourages combining the Middle Eastern concept of trickling water with the European concept of highly visual jets, cascades etc. in new fountain developments.

For more information, log on to The Marsh Christian Trust