Fountain Gardens, Paisley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fountain Gardens |
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Grand Central Fountain
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| Location | Paisley |
| Nearest city | Glasgow |
| Operated by | Renfrewshire Council |
| Open | 26 May 1868 |
| Status | Open |
Fountain Gardens is a lovely park located in Paisley, Scotland. It offers open spaces and beautiful garden areas for everyone to enjoy. This park is special because it's Paisley's oldest public garden, meaning it has been a place for people to visit for a very long time! At the heart of the park is the amazing Grand Central Fountain. This fountain is one of only three in all of Scotland that has a special "Category A" listing, which means it's considered very important and historic.
History of Fountain Gardens
Fountain Gardens started out as a private garden called Hope Temple Gardens. A successful businessman named John Love created these gardens in 1797. Back then, the park had a museum called the Hope Temple Museum and even a bowling green.
However, John Love faced some business problems and had to sell the park grounds. In 1866, a famous industrialist named Thomas Coats bought the land. He wanted to make the park even better, so he asked a landscape architect named James Craig Niven to help redesign it.
The new design was approved and built. It featured a neat, geometric layout, wider paths for walking, and even drinking fountains. There were also special rock gardens and alpine beds with unique plants. Thomas Coats then generously gave the park to the people of Paisley. The park was renamed Fountain Gardens and officially opened on May 26, 1868. A nearby street, Love Street, was named to remember John Love, the park's first owner. Today, Renfrewshire Council is in charge of looking after the park and keeping it beautiful.
The Grand Central Fountain
Right in the middle of Fountain Gardens, you'll find a very fancy fountain. This "Category A listed" fountain is decorated with sculptures of dolphins, herons, cherubs (little angels), and walruses. It was built by George Smith and Company from the Sun Foundry in Glasgow. A talented artist named Daniel Cottier, who worked with stained glass, was hired to paint and color the fountain, making it even more special.
Over the years, the fountain started to show its age. So, between 2013 and 2014, a big project costing £650,000 took place to restore it. This important work was made possible by funding from Renfrewshire Council, Historic Scotland, and the Heritage Lottery Fund. To celebrate the fountain's restoration, a special gala day was held in September 2014. Many people, including Provost Anne Hall, local residents, and the youth theatre group Pace, joined in the celebrations.
Next to the fountain, you can also see a statue of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. This statue was put in the gardens in 1896 and was created by a sculptor named Frederick William Pomeroy.
Gallery
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Grand Central Fountain pictured in 1868
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A drawing of Fountain Gardens from 1868
Images for kids
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The Paisley fountain after its restoration in 2014
