Built in 1885, the ornate Baroque drinking fountain in Walton Well was erected by William Ward to mark the site of the former Well of Walton, which had since been buried during the areas prior redevelopment. Ward, a prominent coal merchant and two-time Mayor of Oxford, entrusted the design of the monument to architect Harry Wilkinson due to his own deteriorating vision.
The Renaissance style fountain was greatly admired by most, and likened to a Victorian fireplace by some, but has been a prominent and adored feature of Jericho for nearly 140 years.
The now dormant fountain is slowly decaying, and has been gradually stripped of its decorative details, the ornate carved finial which once topped the dome and the cast bronze grotesque which was formerly the fountains spout. The late John Sutton worked very hard to achieve the restoration of the fountain, publishing a detailed book which acts as an essential reference source for the project.
Following on from John’s work, the Oxford Preservation Trust is leading the project to restore the fountain to its former glory, rebuilding lost features and making the water flow again. Having already received overwhelming support for the project from the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Marjorie Glasgow, City Councillors James Fry and Louise Upton, the Oxfordshire Buildings Trust and Lucy Group Ltd, the first round of fund-raising is well under way towards meeting the initial target of £40,000.
If you would like to contribute towards this goal, please do follow the link below to make a donation.