Glenview Memorial Park
Covanburn Projects
Client
South Lanarkshire Council
Value
£20,000
Location
Larkhall
Glenview Memorial Fountain was a historic, cast-iron ornamental drinking fountain in Larkhall dating back to the early 20th century and was a product of the famous Saracen Foundry. By the late 20th century the original fountain had disappeared, although historical records do not pinpoint exactly when or why. The canopy and iron structure, however, survived and remain in place in the present day.
It is a well-known local landmark located in Glenview Memorial Park and notable for its late-Victorian and early 20th century decorative features. It boasts griffins on the canopy supports, herons and swans in decorative roundels, floral and foliage patterns and memorial shields. It is a visually impressive and historically important piece of ironwork.
Covanburn was appointed to carry out some modern restoration and repair works, including repairing the monument’s mosaic floor.
Cast-iron fountains and monuments largely went out of fashion over the 20th century and those that remain have become important historical icons and communities often feel very protective over them. Regular maintenance and restoration works keep these monuments in good condition, thus preserving their history and avoiding the need for major restoration works later.
The works included:
The most fascinating part of this project was repairing the fountain’s mosaic floor. The mosaic wasn’t part of the original design and didn’t appear until 2008. It was created by artist Alan Potter and filled the floor of the cast-iron structure, replacing the space used originally by the water fountain.
The mosaic offers a historical timeline of the area, from the Bronze Age through to the modern industrial era. It is also connected to 15 smaller off-site mosaics on paths approaching the fountain which were designed by local schoolchildren.
It’s a wonderful example of the modern community coming together to preserve an important piece of history and put a present-day stamp on it, effectively adding a new layer of history for future generations to study.
