Bath & North East Somerset Council is applying to carry out repair works and maintenance to the Grade II listed Rebecca Fountain statue in Abbey Church Yard.
The Rebecca Fountain Statue next to Bath Abbey
The marble statue, which has a sandstone base, dates from the first wave of public drinking fountains.
It was erected in 1861 by the Bath Temperance Association to improve public hygiene and promote abstinence from alcohol.
It depicts the Old Testament figure Rebecca who is holding a jug from which, when it worked, water poured into a bowl. However, the fountain has not been in use for many years.
A report says the statue is in a generally good condition. It is structurally sound, with significant elements having been refurbished in 2004.
It says: “The fountain survived the 1942 Bath Blitz and in recent years being in close proximity to the contractor’s compounds during the Bath Abbey Footsteps Project and the Bath Christmas Market.
“There is localised damaged and discolouration of the marble from pollution.”
It is recommended that the fountain undergoes a programme of general maintenance to prevent further deterioration, including cleaning and localised repointing.
A number of vandalism attacks have been carried out on the statue including in 2021 when Rebecca’s face was painted blue.
The planning reference is 24/04451/REG13. The deadline for comments is 6th January.
