Other News
- Repairs start on vandalised Dartmouth Park fountain
6th October 2011 - Repairs start on vandalised Dartmouth Park fountain
6th October 2011 - Renfrewshire Council forced to hand back fountain cash
6th October 2011 - Shelley Fountain is ‘ugliest in the world'... supposedly!!
6th October 2011 - Plans for fountain at Tweedbank pond causes waves
6th October 2011 - Welwyn Garden City’s Coronation Fountain is back under Council control
6th October 2011 - New life for Fountain Gardens
6th October 2011 - Fountain will become the centrepiece of scheme
29th August 2011 - Admiral fountain restored in Plymouth's Devonport Park
29th August 2011 - Williamson Square fountain to re-open in Liverpool city centre amid row over £100,000 repair bill
11th August 2011
Fountain News
Posted 8th December 2009
Fountains from the length and breadth of the country are featured in this Fountain news review, so read on for more information. If you have any comments or have any news of your own why not contact us
Worcester - The Chatsworth water show is again in operation over 2009 until late December. The Fountain Society members will recall the impressive Emperor Fountain which is to operate up to 200 ft. (70 mtrs.) for short periods. Water has always played an important role in the garden at Chatsworth with the famous Cascade, Canal Pond and Willow Tree Fountain that date back to the 1st Duke’s work in the 1680’s.
The Emperor Fountain was created in 1843 at the instigation of the 6th Duke who arranged with his head gardener, Sir Joseph Paxton, to create a new record breaking gravity fed fountain in anticipation of a visit from Czar Nicholas, the Russian Emperor, who never came but who allowed his title to be used for the fountain. Members can find more details on the
Chatsworth website
London - Trafalgar Square - Visitors to London will have seen the works carried out in the fountains to give a special 2012 Olympics light show and more substantive water displays.
The fountains have been equipped with environmentally friendly LED lights and the fountains below Nelson’s column will provide a dazzling display for the games. The work represent the latest stage of the fountain upgrade works which the Fountain Society is pleased to note and is followed by work on the three pumps which drive the fountain display and allow the full design feature of the water to be displayed up to a height of 80 feet.
The multicolour lighting can be a static or patterned colour display which helps to brighten up central London on a dark night and is easily viewed at any location around Trafalgar Square. Well done London.
Effects and lighting can be seen on the Evening Standard web site
London – Marble Arch fountains have been re-established after being out of service for 10 years and the work was overseen by “Transport for London” with the involvement of Westminster Council.
The three bronze dish fountains have been repaired and a coloured lighting system has been installed to highlight the arch and the vertical and spray jets of water.
The system repairs and upgrade works are due to be complete at the time of this report and do not take into account the lobbying work by the Fountain Society to celebrate the British & UK Olympic Heroes since 1896 which was supported by Westminster City Council.
For visual and updates see Westminster City Council website.
Dudley Market Place Fountain is to be restored after falling into disrepair and ceased operating. The work will be part of a major plan to redevelop the town centre, following a campaign by a group known as the “Keepers of the Fountain”, to have the restoration work carried out.
The fountain was given to the town by the Earl of Dudley and opened in 1867 and Prince Charles expressed concern when he visited the Black Country in 1996.
The fountain is built of grey granite and northland stone, with the upper section representing the front part of two seahorses. The middle area represents industry and commerce with agriculture and mining shown.
Additionally two lion heads emit water into lower bowls with access by members of the public and two dolphin heads drop water into low level bowl receptacles for animal/dog access.
Winchcombe is a pretty Cotswold village near which Stanway House is located. This Jacobean house dates from AD715 and is found in a hollow beneath a long spur of the Cotswold escarpment and gives way to a series of terraced lawns which has/had a dramatic cascade as shown in a painting within the house (18th century). Well worth a visit.
Visitors will see the canal, the upper pond behind the Pyramid, a short section of the cascade and the upper water fall below the Pyramid which were restored in 1998 and a 300 ft. single jet fountain was added in the middle of the canal. The house and gardens are open in June, July and August each year. For visual display and further information go to The Stanway Fountain website
Northamptonshire – Fountain Society member Haddenstone, based in East Haddon, has secured a substantial order for their stonework ornaments which include 46 fountains. The project is for The Pearl, a new offshore development in Qatar which is claimed to be more prestigious that The Palm in Dubai. Kate Orage of Haddenstone advises they are continually increasing their presence in the Middle East and have recently been awarded significant contracts across the UAE.
The Pearl is a multibillion-dollar project and will be the ‘Arabian Riviera’ - modelled on the “best of the Mediterranean”. Qatar is the richest Arab country per capita, with its wealth derived from gas.
Basildon town centre fountain has been opened, following repairs and reworks of the water and control system. The mother and child statue is the focal point of this Grade II listed fountain and is well known to local people.
The statue, by Maurice Lambert, was unveiled in 1962 and forms the central part of Basildon’s town crest.
During cleaning work it was found to be covered in a layer of paint, which had been applied many years previous to cover any surface blemishes. This has now been removed and the statue re-bronzed. The scheme was funded from a £2 million Government grant to fund town centre improvements.
Wolverhampton in the West Midlands has opened their stunning new showpiece water feature in the heart of the City at Queens Square.
The fountain display incorporates jumping arc jets, operating at various heights, mister jets and a range of lighting systems and colours which include the gold colour effect reported as a salute to the Wolves Football Club as they get ready for Premiership football.
The fountain is set up to run at different times each day to demonstrate the range and complexity of the design and is reported to have sufficient in-built programmes to run for 11 weeks without repetition and can be customised for special events such as Christmas and New Year.
The entire feature has been coated with vandal proof protection for easy graffiti removal and CCTV cameras monitor the area, following completion of final testing.
City Council regeneration head, Councillor Paddy Bradley said “despite the unforeseen delays due to complex technical difficulties underground, I must congratulate the dedication of Council staff and our Contractors who have worked extremely hard to ensure the feature is working smoothly and efficiently”.