Fountains are as old as civilisation. They reflect the many and varied needs of society throughout the ages. They originated in the simple provision of an essential element - water - in arid places and they evolved into manifestations of capricious delight and extravagant displays of wealth and power. This book describes the development of fountains and water features in Britain and illustrates many different aspects of them, from mythical allusion, through private pleasure gardens to contemporary civic display.

Table of Contents

Early fountains; The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; The eighteenth century; The nineteenth century; The twentieth century and beyond; Further information; Fountains and water features to visit

Author Biography

Rosalind Hopwood is an art historian with a special interest in fountains and water features. Her PhD thesis on 'The Origins of the Renaissance Figure Fountain' involved extensive travel in Europe and traced the history of water features and development of hydraulic technology. She has lectured on art and garden history and is a member of the Fountain Society an the Garden History Society.