Pagoda Fountain
The Pagoda Fountain is one of the most impressive and memorable features in the Gardens, using gravity to propel water up to 70ft into the air, almost touching the bottom of the Skyride capsules as they pass overhead.
It is well-known that the Pagoda Fountain as we see it today is not built to the original design that was commissioned by the 15th Earl. The architect, Robert Abraham, had originally envisioned a six-story Pagoda to sit on the island, as described by Loudon:
The plans were inherited by the 16th Earl and were scaled back to the three-stoery structure that still operates today. It was modelled on the To-Ho Pagoda in Canton.
Dolphin Lake
Neighbouring the Pagoda Fountain lake, is a smaller lake known as Dolphin Lake. The rockwork fountain at the centre of the lake has been in place since before the Second World War, but in the 1800s the fountain here would have had tall and graceful tiers. From the surviving photos, it does not seem like the original fountain had any sort of dolphin decoration, so it is not entirely clear as to why this is known as Dolphin Lake.
Then and Now
| Then (c. 1920s): | Now (2020): |
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For the best part of 200 years, the view of the Pagoda Fountain and the fountain in the neighbouring Dolphin Lake have been a popular view of the Gardens, appearing in multiple postcards over the years. In recent years, however, the Dolphin Lake has become so overgrown it is near impossible to enjoy the view of the Pagoda Fountain from this angle any more - our 2020 image is taken from as close to the original location as is possible.
