Restoration of the Victoria Fountain, The Old Steine, Brighton

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Dating back to 1846, the Victoria Fountain has been an important part of Brighton’s heritage for 178 years.

Victoria Fountain was commissioned by Cordy Burrows, a local surgeon who was later knighted. In 1837, the local council refused to build a commemorative fountain to celebrate the Queens’ accession to throne, so Burrows drove a project to build a fountain for the Queens’ birthday. He generated private funding and drafted Amon Wilds to design and build the structure. Amon had designed much of the finest local Regency architecture and chose an elaborate and imposing structure some 32 feet high, with two large cast iron pools and decorated with huge, intertwined dolphins. The fountain was capable of shooting water 20-30 feet into the air and was unveiled on the Queens’ 27th birthday in 1846.

The age of the fountain has produced a natural deterioration over time. The first major renovation was completed in 1995, ready for the visit by the Prince of Wales. But in 2022 a report highlighted ‘significant and complex structural problems and a deep sinkhole was discovered to the side of the fountain. The fountain was leaning to one side, and as safety concerns increased, a plan to restore the fountain began, and Brighton and Hove City Council contacted the Cast Iron Welding Services team…

The Logistics of the Restoration

The restoration project was a massive undertaking. The whole structure had to be transported to the Cast Iron Welding Services premises in Leicestershire, as our unique welding process couldn’t be performed on-site. Also, the client had highlighted concerns regarding the water flow, and from our initial visit, we were able to identify that the fountain wasn’t sitting on a level base, likely caused by ground movement over the years due to the weather. And it wasn’t a surprise to find corrosion present too, which would be a large contributor to the uneven flow of water. Due to the coastal location of the fountain, sulphur is present in the atmosphere, increasing the rate of corrosion significantly.

Fortunately, we have extensive experience in transporting unconventional large-scale landmarks and have overcome many obstacles over the years.

We outlined a clear plan with the relevant parties, such as the local council, traffic control and specialist equipment providers. Safe diversions were created to keep the public safe, while the removal and later installation took place.

Good communication during this part of the process helped the project enormously and kept everyone on the same page.

To remove the fountain, we used a mobile crane to carefully lift each section. The crane transferred each section to a registered wide-load vehicle and carefully transported it to Leicestershire.

Once the fountain was back at our facility, it was ready for a detailed inspection, and the groundworks to create a new level base could begin on site in Brighton.

Enhancing the Victoria Fountain’s Longevity

The initial plan was to dismantle, test and repair each section of the fountain and then piece it all back together.

Each section was coated in layers of historic leaded paint, which all had to be completely removed and disposed of, in line with the current safety guidelines, before the repair process could begin.

We needed to dismantle the petal-shaped sections that make up the bowl-like structure from the main body of the fountain. This was a tough task but completely necessary to repair the fountain correctly. The process uncovered problems created by previous restoration attempts, where unsuitable bonding materials had been used to repair leaks. These materials also had to be removed before the team could begin the welding repairs that would eventually restore the strength and structure of the sectional pieces.

The Victoria Fountain has been holding a large body of water for many years, and the methods and solutions to be used in the restoration process were discussed at this point. The outcome would prevent water escaping or settling in between layers of each cast iron section. The team also considered the protective paint solution most suited to the salty Brighton atmosphere, to prevent future corrosion.

Attention to Detail in Heritage Restoration

Many of the projects that the Cast Iron Welding Services team have been involved in are of significant cultural and historical significance. Attention to detail is of great importance when honouring the original design of an asset like the Victoria Fountain.

The team spent time and effort correctly matching the paint colours to the era in which the fountain was originally created and unveiled to Queen Victoria in the early 19th century. This process was interesting as it required us to research old archives containing original design illustrations and paint specifications.

We chose a beautiful, rich Olive Green for the main body of the fountain, with the details highlighted in gold. The combination perfectly represented Victorian taste at that time. The final coat of Olive Green was applied after a mid-coat of Juniper Green. This layering of paint colour produced a rich, deep coverage.

The intricate details were hand-painted by our in-house creative artist. Pearlescent gold paint highlighted the elaborate fins and eyes of the trio of exotic fish holding the cast iron bowls above them. The scalloped edges of the bowls were also highlighted in gold. The floral swags and boughs of leaves and blooms around the perimeter shine bright in gold at the very top of the fountain. Small exotic fish are featured around the underbelly of the fountain bowls and bounce gold reflections as the sunlight catches the water spouting from their mouths.

Due to the protective importance of the paint finishes, it was essential for us to adhere to the specified paint drying times. A correct application would prevent corrosion for as long as possible. Five layers of paint were applied, with sixteen hours of drying time in between coats, to guarantee the correct hardening of each layer. The confidence we have in our paint coatings puts our clients at ease when recommending preventative solutions that will stand the test of time.

The Victoria Fountain is Returned to Brighton

Following weeks of dedicated work by the Cast Iron Welding team, it was time to return the Victoria Fountain back to its’ original home at the Old Steine, Brighton. This was an exciting day, tempered by the important logistics procedures in place. Specialist vehicles and traffic controls were again coordinated for a repeat of the dismantling process.

The new, level base had been installed ready for our team to begin construction of the Fountain. The base would improve the functionality of the water flow within the fountain.

The tricky task of reassembling the heavy interlocking segments of cast iron took time, but correct assembly prevents leaks, which was a priority for the client. Our workmanship and unique process, which never adds dissimilar or inferior materials to our welding repairs, is the best preventative solution to avoid cracks and faults.

A trained electrician appointed by the current custodians of The Victoria Fountain stepped in at this point to reconnect the water feature element and function.

Once the Fountain was fully assembled back to its original structure, it was time to stand back and admire its glory. It’s easy to understand why the Brighton and Hove Council was keen to restore The Fountain; it is a spectacular architectural monument, rich in history, and remains an important part of the landscape in Brighton.

Our team will revisit the site after the water is reintroduced and the feature is flowing correctly to examine the fountain’s overall finish. Minor corrections can be completed during this visit.

This project required a lot of patience and teamwork, and it’s been another great experience to add to our portfolio of Heritage restorations. It was now time to hand The Victoria Fountain back to the people of Brighton who can be proud of it looking splendid and functioning beautifully for another 100 years and more!