Drinking Fountain

DRINKING FOUNTAIN, GREAT EASTERN STREET EC2

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1226614
Date first listed:
04-Feb-1975
List Entry Name:
Drinking Fountain
Statutory Address:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, GREAT EASTERN STREET EC2
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Date:
2000-08-14
Reference:
IOE01/02878/02
Rights:
© Peter Fuller. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1226614
Date first listed:
04-Feb-1975
Date of most recent amendment:
28-Aug-2003
List Entry Name:
Drinking Fountain
Statutory Address 1:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, GREAT EASTERN STREET EC2
Statutory Address 2:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, PAUL STREET
Statutory Address 3:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, TABERNACLE STREET

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, GREAT EASTERN STREET EC2
Statutory Address:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, PAUL STREET
Statutory Address:
DRINKING FOUNTAIN, TABERNACLE STREET

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Greater London Authority
District:
Hackney (London Borough)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TQ 33023 82519

Details

735/35/221 PAUL STREET 28-AUG-03 Drinking Fountain TABERNACLE STREET Drinking Fountain GREAT EASTERN STREET Drinking Fountain (Formerly listed as: GREAT EASTERN STREET EC2 Drinking fountain at junction with Pit field Street and Old Street)

II Columnar drinking fountain. 1880 by A Nicholson.
MATERIALS: Pink and grey polished granite, bronze finial fittings.
DESCRIPTION: 2 granite steps lead up to tall grey granite plinth with semi-circular basins projecting from all 4 sides, backed by arched niches. Narrower upper plinth inscribed on 2 sides; 1876 METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS and VESTRY OF ST LEONARD, SHOREDITCH. Further inscriptions read (south side) GREAT EASTERN STREET OPENED BY THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS 1876 and (north) NEITHER IS HE THAT PLANTETH ANYTHING; NEITHER HE THAT WATERETH BUT GOD THAT GIVE THE INCREASE (I Cor. 3:7). Above this a tall Ionic column of polished red granite with sandstone capital (discoloured) and a ball finial in the form of an orb. 8 red granite bollards surround the erection, North face of upper plinth inscribed: "This column erected by the Vestry of St Leonard, Shoreditch, 1880" and artist's name.
HISTORY: the fountain was erected to ornament Great Eastern Street, an important new thoroughfare connecting Commercial Street and the docks with the principal east-west route to the north of the City. The designer, A. Nicholson, was a local stone merchant based nearby in Mark Lane. The fountain was moved a short distance to the south-east as part of a programme of street improvements overseen by Transport for London in 2002/3.


Listing NGR: TQ3301282505

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
423978
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Drinking Fountain

Map

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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