Swire Fountain is one of two fountains in St James’s Park (although it was the only one working when we visited recently).
The fountain is set in the middle of St James Park Lake and is a pretty feature in a very scenic landscape.
It can be clearly seen from the middle of the Blue Bridge. As you look towards Horseguards Parade and Whitehall, it’s the fountain to the left of Duck Island.
What you see is a circle of jets that spray out in a fan-like shape and one central taller jet of water.
St James’s Park is the oldest of the eight Royal Parks in London and you can cut through it to walk from Buckingham Palace to Whitehall.
Aside from the fountain, there are colourful flower beds, mature trees, a large lake with two tiny islands, the Blue Bridge, the Guard’s Division Memorial, the charmingly named ‘Duck Island Cottage’ and a surprising colony of very tame pelicans. Originally a gift from the Russian ambassador to King Charles II in 1664, there have been pelicans in the park ever since.