Lion’s Mouth Fountain

I met a friend for a walk above Selborne today. The village is famous as the home of Gilbert White:

Gilbert White's 'A Natural History of Selborne' was the first proper book on natural history published. Gilbert White (1720-93) was perhaps the archetypal 18th century English clergyman-naturalist and The Natural History of Selborne is his truly lasting memorial, it being in continuous print ever since publication.


The Lion's Head Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough cast in 1879 and in 1894, to create a water-supply for Selborne, the spring was diverted by public subscription in memory of Gilbert White.