Honeyfield Drinking Fountain
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Honeyfield Drinking Fountain | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Honeyfield Drinking Fountain | |
| Construction | 1907 |
| Completion | 1907 |
| Opening date | 14 November 1907 |
| Location | Regina Place, Dawson Street and Hine Street |
| Address | New Plymouth Central |
 Interactive map of Honeyfield Drinking Fountain | |
| Coordinates: 39°03′22″S 174°04′00″E / 39.056070°S 174.066693°E | |
| Designated | 23 June 2011 |
| Reference no. | 894 |
The Honeyfield Drinking Fountain is a historic Category 2 heritage landmark located on the Coastal Walkway in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Situated at the intersection of Regina Place (formerly "The Esplanade") and Dawson Street, it serves as a functional drinking station for walkers and cyclists along the scenic waterfront. It reflects a period when private citizens and local associations often funded civic amenities due to limited council resources.
In the late 1800s, people in New Plymouth began working together to make their town more attractive and enjoyable. They felt the central beach had been spoiled when the railway station was built on prime shoreline, so in 1898 they created the Victoria Esplanade walkway to revive the foreshore and honour Queen Victoria’s long reign. The hope was that this new path would eventually run from the port to the Henui River.[1][2]
One resident, Alice Brown Honeyfield, believed strongly in the value of the waterfront and in 1907, while already living overseas, donated a small but elegant drinking fountain with a lamp rising above it. She insisted that it be placed on the Esplanade so that it would encourage people to use and support the growing walkway. Alice Honeyfield left the arrangements to her relative William L. Newman, who at first described her only as an anonymous donor. The Borough Council accepted the offer that March, agreeing to supply water and electricity while Alice covered the cost of the fountain and its installation.[1]
The drinking fountain was crafted by Christchurch monumental mason George W. J. Parsons and installed by local stonemason William Short.[3]
The unveiling took place on 14 November 1907, drawing the Mayor, councillors, and townspeople to the corner where Regina Place meets Dawson and Hine Streets. The location was chosen for its closeness to the Railway Station and the Baths, and to encourage people to enjoy the esplanade, which Alice admired as one of the town’s greatest assets.[4]
By the early 2000s the Honeyfield Fountain was crumbling under years of salt, wind, and neglect. People had argued about its fate since the 1970s, some wanting it moved, many insisting it belonged on the foreshore where generations had known it. A 2003 report confirmed the worst: rust, fractures, and stone decay everywhere.[5] Rather than let it fade, locals rallied. A small community group gathered grants, donations, and family support, eventually raising enough money to begin work by detaching the parts of the structure and send the fountain to Christchurch for careful restoration. Craftspeople, including Christchurch sculptor and conservator Mark Whyte, rebuilt the damaged stone, repaired its structure, and replaced the long‑lost fittings.[6]
In 2007 the fountain returned home, gleaming again on the Coastal Walkway. Its unveiling, almost a century after the first one, brought descendants of Alice Honeyfield and locals together, sealing its place as a small but enduring piece of New Plymouth’s story.[7]
The fountain was restored again after being nearly destroyed by a car crash on 27 April 2013 and reinstalled on 28 February 2014. The restoration work, carried out by Stone Conservation Ltd, Auckland, focused on preserving the original stone and ensuring its long-term use as a community amenity.[8][3]
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