Restoration of Hanbury fountain

We were thrilled to unveil the restored Hanbury Drinking Fountain in Wimbledon yesterday.

Over 100 local people joined us to celebrate the restoration and relocation of the fountain including the Mayor of Merton, Cllr Martin Whelton, and pupils from Ursuline High School and Wimbledon College.

The ornate Victorian fountain is a striking example of the 19th century fascination with classical architecture. Modelled on the 4th century BC Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens, it reflects a period when classical Greek design shaped Britain’s public monuments and civic spaces.

It has been moved to the bustling Wimbledon High Street from its former Wimbledon Common site in order to serve a higher number of passers-by with free, fresh drinking water.

As well as being brought back to working order, the restoration project included new piping as well as work to the heavily corroded cast iron fountain pillars and gilded lettering.

This is the19th historic drinking fountain restored by HOLT. In 2023 Heritage of London Trust restored the Toynbee Fountain in Wimbledon.

108 local young people were involved during the project as part of the Proud Places programme, including from Malden Oaks alternative provision school.

Local residents and school children were delighted with the project.

Steve Graham, Managing Director, Imago Interiors said:

“The relocation is fantastic, it’s in an active area and as a landmark is iconic, it will be forever. To see the interaction from the schools that have been involved; it's great to see them talk with confidence and you can see people that maybe might not be used to speaking in public master that. Excellent attendance for the event too!”

Robert Moses, local resident, said:

“I think the relocation is fabulous, it puts the whole thing front and centre, because where it was in the past it was largely out of sight, out of mind. The work that has been done here is brilliant, the idea for it to have fresh running water. Now we have the Toynbee Fountain at one end giving fresh drinking water and this at this end. I think it’s brilliant, I’m really delighted.”

Ben, age 16, from Wimbledon College said:

"This drinking fountain represents the ability to bring more to locals. It's a necessity for all of us, even though some of us here may not be from an English heritage, we all need water to survive. With projects like this we can come together as a community and a culture to do something good for everyone.”

Emily, 15, Malden Oaks Lower School Richmond (AP) said:

"I think it's a good idea to move the fountain to Wimbledon village because it's then in a more social and beautiful area. People will be able to see the horses walking through as well as the fountain."

Thanks to the support of the Jones Day Foundation and to Merton Council and the Wimbledon Society for working with us on this project.

Young Heritage Hero Award

This week, our Proud Places Ambassador Destine Pinzi received The Heritage Alliance's prestigious Young Heritage Hero Award, which celebrates the contribution of a volunteer under the age of 30 who has gone above and beyond for a heritage organisation.

Destine started volunteering with Heritage of London Trust's Proud Places programme three years ago when she was just 15 and has been a fantastic support throughout her time with us. She has helped facilitate visits and workshops for more than 500 young people and contributed to over fifteen Heritage of London Trust sites and projects, including Bowie Bandstand, Columbia Market Gates and Merton Priory Wall.

She led community engagement with the Leaning Woman project, designing posters and knocking on doors with primary school pupils to build community awareness of the restoration.

She has given speeches at the House of Lords for a Speakers Trust event, the Proud Places Conference at Burlington House in 2023, and at a King’s College Heritage Careers event in 2024. Since 2023, she has addressed multiple audiences, receiving glowing feedback for her passion and eloquence.

On her role as Proud Places ambassador, Destine says:

"Proud Places has helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect, such as speaking in Parliament and leading workshops with young people from a wide range of backgrounds. The Proud Places programme has helped me connect with my community by sparking my interest in the history behind where I live. I’m now studying Politics at university and I’m passionate about creating change, widening access and ensuring that heritage is inclusive for all generations."

Reflecting on her Young Heritage Hero award,

“Heritage shouldn't just be focused on kings or queens, but make it local, make it impactful to [young people]. How will it relate to me? How will it relate to my studies? How will it relate to my life? Young people need to see other young people who look like them doing this… I personally don't like mentioning race, but it has a part to play. Heritage needs to be more diverse because history shows everyone's story and not just one. Young people don't have a good relationship with history, so make it about them, because history is for everyone.”

We look forward to following Destine's journey as she continues to grow into the change-maker she has already started to become.

The Proud Places programme is generously supported by The Jones Day Foundation.

Bethlem Museum of the Mind

We were pleased to unveil the restored clock on the Bethlem Museum of the Mind this week. The unveiling was marked by the Mayor of Bromley, Jonathan Andrews, who spoke at the event alongside the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and young people involved in the project.

The clock had not been working but is now fully restored, re-gilded and set back in motion.

The Bethlem clock has been an architectural centrepiece of the Art Deco hospital building for almost a century. Its turret reflects a tradition stretching back to the earlier Bethlem Hospital buildings, where prominent clocks symbolised civic presence and order. The restoration included the faces, hands and the orb finial at the top of the turret being re-gilded. The work was carried out by Cumbria Clock Company, specialists who have recently completed major conservation work on Big Ben.

Alongside the physical restoration, young people took part through Proud Places, visiting the site to learn about the museum’s history and creating their own clock faces inspired by the collections.

Dr Nicola Stacey said the restored clock would once again play a meaningful role in the local environment: “We are so pleased to have been able to restore the clock at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind. Public clocks are uplifting markers in the places we share. Here, it speaks to safety, routine and continuity, and we hope its return will be a source of pride for the local community.”

Mayor of Bromley, Cllr Jonathan Andrews, said: “It's really important, I believe, to protect and preserve our heritage and to remember those parts of our history which have come together to make us as a local area and indeed as a wider nation, part of who we are.”

Director of the Bethlem Museum, Colin Gale, added “Sometimes time is experienced as a frustration and other times it's experienced as an opportunity--and as hope as well, for recovery… Thank you so much to the Heritage of London Trust for making the clock gleam and run again.”