Love Street fountain

The Love Street fountain stands in Paisley’s Fountain Gardens, a small park in the centre of the town. The gardens were once neglected until the 1850s, when Thomas Coats bought the land and paid for new paths, iron railings, lamps and benches. Coats also commissioned the central fountain, one of the few surviving pieces from his improvements. After finishing the work he handed the gardens to Paisley Town Council and gave a further £5,000 for upkeep. The fountain itself cost £15,000 to build. The fountain is now recognised as one of Scotland’s most important historic monuments. It was listed at Grade B in 1980 and upgraded to Grade A in 2006, the highest category. In 2008 it appeared on the register of at-risk Scottish buildings, though its condition was described as only poor and not immediately dangerous. Historic Scotland later provided £168,000 towards repairs, while the total bill was estimated at £660,000. Further grants came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and Renfrewshire Council, allowing work to start in August 2013. Visitors find a circular basin of polished granite surrounded by ornate ironwork. Four tall columns support a canopy with carved foliage and finials, while water once rose from the centre in jets. The gardens still contain Coats’s original benches and lamp posts, set among mature trees and lawns. The restored fountain now forms the heart of a quiet urban park, overlooked by nearby shops and cafés.