Surrey Street drinking fountain restored

Children from Krishna Avanti Primary School, Croydon enjoy the newly restored fountain.

Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, cuts the ribbon with two local school children.

Dr Nicola Stacey and Jason Perry address the crowd at the unveiling.

Maha from Krishna Avanti Primary School, Croydon gives a speech.

Catlin from Riddlesdown Collegiate spoke about Proud Places at the unveiling.

The Victorian drinking fountain on the corner of Surrey Street in Croydon has been restored with fresh drinking water for the public. A new push-button system has been inserted to allow water to flow from the lion’s mouth.

On 18 July, more than 90 people came to join Dr Nicola Stacey and the Mayor of Croydon Jason Perry, plus children and young people from local schools and local residents to unveil the restored drinking fountain.

The fountain was added to the High Street in 1896 to mark its widening and is a fine example of Victorian craftsmanship and civic design. It had not been working for many decades, despite the lively Surrey Street Market next door.

‘This fountain was a source of great local pride in 1896. And in 2025, I think we’ve really brought that pride back to this little corner of Croydon. I hope that you’re going to enjoy it, use it, and look after it. Today is our chance to celebrate it,’ said Dr Nicola Stacey, Heritage of London Trust’s Director.

Mayor Jason Perry said, ‘It’s fantastic to see this drinking fountain back in use; fantastic to know that it has running water, and that it still has that trough at the bottom, so dogs can drink from it as well.

‘We are a fantastic borough with huge amounts of heritage all around us. We have the 700-year-old market behind us in Surrey Street, another area that we’re rejuvenating over the coming months and years. And this fountain restoration is just first step towards restoring that pride in our borough and knowing that Croydon is a great place to live, work and play.’

During its restoration, more than 300 young people from local schools and youth groups visited the project to meet conservators and take part in creative workshops as part of HOLT’s Proud Places youth engagement programme.

At the unveiling, the students brought posters and clay models they’d made of the fountain and spoke about the project.

Esha from Park Hill School said, ‘In this vast city of London, everything has a story behind it, whether it’s graffiti artwork, art, music, a building, or even a fountain. Our magnificent city is not only rich in culture and significance, but also rich in diversity and spirit. And, at the end of the day, the Surrey Street drinking fountain is the perfect place to get a cool drink of water on a hot day!’

The unveiling was featured on the BBC London evening news, with interviews from some of the school children. Read more about the Surrey Street drinking fountain project here.

New statue of Fanny Wilkinson unveiled in Coronation Gardens

The Coronation Gardens Fanny Wilkinson drinking fountain launch. Photo by Lizzie Glithero-Wes

Sculptor Gillian Brett, Cllr Jeremy Ambrache, student Nanna and Nicola Stacey at the unveiling

The Fanny Wilkinson statue unveiling

Local schoolgirl, Olivia fills up her waterbottle at the restored Edwardian drinking fountain.

A brand-new statue of Fanny Wilkinson by sculptor Gillian Brett has been unveiled in Coronation Gardens.

Fanny Wilkinson was the UK’s first professional female landscape designer. She was responsible for laying out more than 70 parks and gardens in London, including Coronation Gardens in the early 1900s.

The original drinking fountain had lost its figurine. This was replaced by a statuette of Fanny Wilkinson to commemorate this brilliant, impactful, but largely forgotten figure from London's history.

At the unveiling, Dr Nicola Stacey, Director of Heritage of London Trust said, 'A newspaper report in 1890 mentions that King Edward VII, when he was Prince of Wales, met a remarkable woman at a park she had designed, and had "complimented her on her work".

'But she was never named. Today is our chance to name her.

'Fanny Wilkinson was a Victorian pioneer. She was absolutely determined to become a gardener, and she was single-minded in getting trained; she was the only woman on her course. Once she was established with the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, she insisted on being paid for her knowledge and expertise. Fanny said, "I certainly do not let myself be underpaid as many women do. I know my profession and charge accordingly, as all women should."

'Wilkinson laid out more than 70 public parks all across the city. Many were disused burial grounds or other neglected spaces. Some were donated, rather like this one. And she absolutely transformed them in a very robust way, so they really lasted, in the way this one has. Trees, plants, avenues, children’s playgrounds often with water fountains just like this; they are parks for children to play in, and for people to enjoy, full of public amenities.

'This is her moment. We’re so thrilled to be part of this project to unveil an incredible statue by the wonderful artist, Gillian Brett.'

Gillian Brett said, ‘I chose to celebrate Fanny Wilkinson because she’s been fairly unrecognised. Most people don’t know her story. Most people think London’s parks have been there forever; I certainly did! When I read about Fanny Wilkinson and what she brought to London, I thought it was such an interesting and compelling story, that I decided to commemorate her with this sculpture.’

Cllr Jeremy Ambrache, Mayor of Wandsworth, said, ‘Isn’t it great to have a drinking fountain back in use! It’s the perfect place to refill your drinking bottles and keep hydrated. It also serves a social purpose, for people coming here, with their dogs, with their children, to meet and talk to other people. It’s great to have a historic fountain restored back to its former glory.’

Many local children attended the unveiling. More than 100 young people have been involved with the project through Heritage of London Trust’s Proud Places scheme, taking part in creative workshops and learning from the conservation team.

Nathan, a 17 year old student from Southfields Academy, said, ‘Restoring a fountain like this one in Coronation Gardens can bring a sense of pride to local residents. It improves a public space that people use every day, and that they care about. It can also create a stronger connection to the area’s history and culture. For me, I know this is true. I didn’t know anything about this park before and now I have a personal connection to it.’

The Coronation Gardens fountain restoration project was carried out thanks to the Drinking Fountains Association; the Friends of Coronation Gardens; the Friends of Putney School of Art and Design; Putney School of Art and Design; Southfields Grid Residents’ Association; Wandsworth Council; and Heritage of London Trust with support from the Jones Day Foundation.

Video of the unveiling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DteQxYOQ9VQ&t=4s

A longer video of the statue being made, the fountain's conservation and unveiling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9JITVMar28&t=5s

Happy 50th birthday, Battishill Street Gardens!

Fifty years ago today, a new pocket park was opened in Islington.

Battishill Street Gardens (also known as Battershill Gardens) was opened on 30 June 1975, the first purpose-built garden in Islington since the Second World War.

Earlier this year, Heritage of London Trust restored its spectacular 73-foot-long Victorian frieze. The frieze by sculptor Musgrave Watson adorns two sides of the gardens and the restoration project included repair to the stonework and replanting of the flower beds by Islington Council.

Alfred Head, Borough Architect for Islington between 1968 and 1983, led the project. In the midst of his commission which was to include a children’s playground, Head discovered a brilliant new opportunity. Now aged 102, he is proud of his role in the project to bring the Victorian frieze to Battishill Street Gardens 50 years ago:

“I learned of the story of the frieze’s preservation in a courtyard at UCL, following the demolition of the Hall of Commerce building in Threadneedle Street.

‘The frieze was being offered for disposal to make room for a new building. The next day I made my way to UCL and drew sketches of each of the stone slabs.

‘From this I was able to draw the original layout of the frieze. The University was happy to have the frieze removed and transported to the site at Battershill Street at no cost. 

‘The Council’s building contractor, to whom I was responsible for the construction of the housing scheme and gardens, was happy to make changes and accept the former children’s play area to be replaced by the frieze. 

‘Next I personally drew up the plans for the installation. Two pieces of sculpture were missing, which I made myself having attended evening classes. One of the sculptured heads that I made as replacements was modelled on a colleague, the project architect Helen Stafford, later Helen Watters.

‘On completion of the housing scheme, I phoned John Betjeman to invite him to open both the council housing and the new sculptured gardens, which he was delighted to do.

‘On the day of the inauguration, I picked him up from his office in the City and drove him to Battershill Gardens. So he arrived in my old Ford rather than his Bentley, something that he found very amusing.

‘I’m pleased I was able to see the opportunity of incorporating the Commerce Frieze and thereby preserving a piece of London history. As a Londoner that was important to me.’

The Commerce Welcoming All Nations Frieze was restored by Islington Council and Heritage of London Trust with support from the Jones Day Foundation. 

Young people were involved in the project as part of our Proud Places programme and local school children joined the unveiling of the restored frieze in May 2025 alongside the local community.