Ironbridge car park fountain "is like an undiscovered Banksy"
Strange what can turn up in car parks. The regal remains of a medieval monarch in Leicester. And an unrecognised historical gem in Ironbridge.
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At least that is what Marcus Keane thinks following a discovery which points to the Bartlett Memorial Fountain, which stands tucked away overlooking the Waterloo Street car park in the Shropshire town, being revealed as potentially the work of renowned Victorian sculptor John Bell.
"Finding out that the Bartlett Fountain in Ironbridge was by John Bell is like finding a Picasso in your attic or a Banksy on your wall," says Marcus, the founder of the Telford Memories website.
"I came across a near identical fountain in Norfolk and it intrigued me as to its resemblance to our Ironbridge fountain. I was then shocked to find that the Norfolk fountain was designed by John Bell who had connections with the Darby family and Coalbrookdale."
He believes the discovery will add impetus to a local campaign to return the drinking fountain to its place of prominence in Ironbridge town centre after almost 60 years languishing in the car park.
Erected in 1862 in memory of the Rev John Bartlett, it stood in the middle of steps leading up to The Square. But the front of The Square was carved away in late 1965 to make way for a bus bay and the memorial was removed, being re-erected above the car park around the end of 1971 or first days of 1972, where it has been ever since, largely out of sight.
Marcus is convinced it is Bell's work but is continuing his researches to uncover the clinching proof.
