The Aitken Memorial Fountain

We have had every kind of weather thrown at us today. This morning I managed to take this detailed shot of the Aitken Memorial Fountain in Govan. You may have noticed there seems to be a Govan theme going on over the last few days.

The Aitken Memorial Fountain is a well known and much loved landmark of Govan Cross. It was created in 1884 and is the only surviving example of the decorative, cast iron drinking fountains produced by Cruikshanks & Co.’s foundry at the Denny Works, Stirlingshire. Dedicated to the memory of Doctor John Aitken – a local doctor rumoured to have died from overwork due to his dedication to serving the medical needs of the area’s poor – it has stood for more than 120 years at the head of Water Row.

In 2010, having fallen into a ruinous state of repair, the fountain became the focus of regeneration efforts led by Govan Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative. Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Glasgow City Council made a full restoration possible, and in the course of the restoration process many interesting discoveries were made, not least the whereabouts of the fountain’s missing centre piece.

The Aitken Memorial Fountain was returned, fully restored, to Govan Cross in April 2011.