The Berwick Fountain is a public fountain in Cork, located near English Market, the city’s famous food market. Built in 1860, it is named after Sergeant Walter Berwick, who arrived in Cork in 1847 as President of the Quarter Sessions Court (a court for minor criminal offences). The fountain is still in place today, and is one of Cork’s great landmarks!
The Berwick Fountain is located on Rue Grande Parade, near the former site of the statue of King George II. It was designed by Sir John Benson and presented to Mayor John Arnott, who accepted it on behalf of the city on January 1, 1862.
Ornamental, it takes the form of 3 successive basins in sculpted limestone, and a fourth, smaller basin in cast iron, supported by dolphin figures. As for the engravings, they are a true tribute to nature, depicting a skilful composition of foliage. The water jet shoots upwards before cascading into the various pools.
During the renovation of the adjacent sections of the Grand Parade, the fountain was carefully dismantled in the summer of 2006 and temporarily removed. In June 2007, the fountain was reassembled near its original location. Only the dolphins have been completely replaced.
Since then, the Berwick Fountain has been a popular gathering place for young people.