A historic drinking fountain has been restored and reconnected on Surrey Street.
This is the 16th drinking fountain project completed by the Heritage of London Trust (HOLT).
The fountain was built in 1896, marking the completion of a Victorian redevelopment programme that widened Croydon's High Street.
It is made of faience, granite, and cast iron, and is an example of Victorian craftsmanship and civic design.
A new push-button system has been installed, allowing water to flow from the lion's mouth.
The restoration project was a joint effort by HOLT and Croydon Council, and involved more than 300 young people from local schools and youth groups.
The young participants, part of HOLT's Proud Places programme, visited the site during the restoration to meet conservators and engage in creative workshops.
Dr Nicola Stacey, director of HOLT, said: "We are delighted to be supporting the restoration of this historic fountain in the heart of Croydon – a source of much local pride 130 years ago.
"It’s been fantastic to involve Croydon’s young people in the project through our Proud Places programme."
The project has also been a catalyst for the council’s broader regeneration works in Surrey Street.
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Executive Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, said: "Croydon is full of history and it’s important that features like the drinking fountain, which sits within the central Croydon Conservation Area, are looked after for future generations of Croydonians.
"I am pleased that through this grant with the Heritage of London Trust we can restore the drinking fountain, and bring it back into use, restoring civic pride to our town centre."
The fountain is located close to one of Croydon’s earliest sources of fresh water.
In 1849, one year after the landmark 1848 Public Health Act, the Croydon Local Board of Health was formed to administer the supply of water, the maintenance of sewers, drainage and streets within the town.
A pumping station was opened on the site of a historic well in the town centre in 1851, known as the Surrey Street Pumping Station, and expanded on three further occasions over the next 60 years as the town grew.
Drinking fountains, including the one on Surrey Street, provided a vital public amenity for those who could not afford piped water in their homes.
Many older pumps and conduits were the source of contaminated water, making public drinking fountains an essential resource.
The Surrey Street fountain was installed in 1896, at a time when clean drinking water was available to a much greater proportion of the population, but drinking fountains remained a basic, expected amenity within public spaces.
This restoration project was completed with support from Croydon Council and the Jones Day Foundation.
The Heritage of London Trust recently also unveiled the restored Coronation Gardens fountain in Wandsworth and has begun work on the restoration of two historic drinking fountains in Kingston.
