Bodnant Garden Fountain Appeal

Why is the fountain important?

The original fountain was brought to Bodnant Garden in 1940 by Henry McLaren, 2nd Lord Aberconway. The elaborate design once featured dolphins, fish and nymphs on a scalloped edged clam shell, surrounded by waves. Over time, the running water has worn away the oolitic limestone carvings. The maquette that is seen alongside the original fountain on the terraces today was made by local artist Peter Barnes, giving us a glimpse of how the fountain may have originally looked.

The terraces were designed at the turn of the 1900s by Laura McLaren and her son Henry (who gifted the garden to the National Trust in 1949.) Five levels were carved out of the hillside which sloped westward down from Bodnant Hall to the valley and the River Hiraethlyn below. This was a huge project completed by men without modern machinery which began in 1905 and was finally completed just before the outbreak of the First World War. The fountain was added to the terraces in 1940, completing the overall design and aesthetic in keeping with the formal Italianate design.

How much will it cost?

We anticipate that the project will cost around £200,000 in total. We’re fortunate to have already received funds of £35,000 raised prior to the pandemic and it’s hoped that we’ll be able to raise the remainder in time to begin the design stage over the next 12 months.

How your donation will help

• Welcoming over 280,000 visitors to the garden each year, the Italianate Terraces are a highlight of any visit to the Grade I listed garden. A new focal point of a fountain on the Croquet lawn will again bring interest to the area as originally intended for all visitors to enjoy throughout the seasons.
• Add interest to this level of the Italianate Terraces in keeping with the elegance and planting scheme together with many older and well-stablished plants, including the wisteria which cascades down on either side of the fountain during late spring and early summer.
•  Preserving the original overall design of the terraces and the legacy of the McLaren family by conserving the work of the men who carved these levels into the hillside to provide views across to the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia).

When will the work begin on the new statue?

Over the last few months, we've carried out research in the Bodnant Estate Archive, looking at letters, articles and images to determine the origins of the fountain, what it once depicted and why Henry McLaren brought it over from France. We've consulted with conservators to review the damage and how best to preserve what remains of the original, but they have judged that it is beyond repair.

We'll soon be consulting with curators, conservators and the McLaren family to decide what the next stage is.

We’re hoping to make final decisions on the design phase in 2026, with work beginning on the terraces the following year in 2027.