What is the Lightfoot Memorial Fountain (and who was Lightfoot Anyway?)

Just behind the colourful buzz of the Adderley Street Flower Market, hidden in plain sight, there’s a small but remarkable piece of Cape Town’s history. You might miss it if you're not looking: a three-metre marble fountain standing quietly among the bustle.

But stop for a moment, and you’ll discover the Lightfoot Memorial Fountain, a heartfelt tribute to one of the city’s most beloved figures: Archdeacon Thomas Lightfoot.

Who Was Thomas Lightfoot?

Born in England in 1831, Lightfoot arrived in Cape Town at just 27, after being inspired to become a missionary. He soon became the priest in charge of St. Paul’s Church on Bree Street, but he didn’t stop at sermons. He rolled up his sleeves and devoted his life to helping the city’s poorest and most vulnerable, no matter their race or background.

He opened soup kitchens, built night shelters, started a school for artisans, and even learned High Dutch and Xhosa so he could better connect with the people he served. During the 1867 fever epidemic, he personally tended to the sick (and had a hospital ward named after him for it).

He was known for never slowing down. So much so, people started calling him “The Southeaster” after Cape Town’s famously relentless wind.

A Fountain with a Story

After his death in 1904 (ironically, caused by a fall in that same relentless southeasterly wind), the city mourned deeply. Over 4,000 people came to his funeral. The bells of St. George’s Cathedral tolled for an hour, and three trains were needed to carry mourners to the cemetery. Cape Town had never seen a farewell like it.

To honour his memory, the Lightfoot Memorial Fountain was unveiled in 1907. It’s made of red Verona marble and is actually a replica of a 14th-century fountain in the marketplace of Verona, Italy.

Like many old treasures, the fountain had seen better days. Years of weather, water restrictions, and vandalism left it in rough shape.

But in 2019, the City of Cape Town restored it to its former glory, thanks to a R1-million project led by local heritage experts. Missing panels were replaced, mosaic tiles were added, and the structure was carefully cleaned and preserved. There was even talk of moving it, but thankfully, the decision was made to keep it right where it belongs: beside the flower sellers, in the heart of the community Lightfoot loved so much.

📍 How to Find It

Location: Trafalgar Place, just off Adderley Street, in Cape Town’s CBD.

Look for: The flower market, and then keep your eyes peeled behind the stalls.

Nearby: St. George’s Mall, Company’s Garden, Cape Town Station.

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