1969 Bristol

1969 view of Bristol Centre & city docks

Neptune was until recent years a familiar sight at the head of St. Augustine's Reach, but was originally set up in the Temple area, near Bristol Bridge. When the bridge was being widened a clause was added into the Act for the statue to be moved to Temple Street. Later because of rebuilding a new place had to be found on some glebe land, where it stayed until 1872.

The statue was then moved to the junction of Temple Street and Victoria Street, being converted to a drinking fountain with the water flowing from the mouth of the small dolphin into cast iron bowls. There were cups attached by chains for human use and the overspill water went into bowls at the bottom of the pedestal to provide drinking water for dogs. The statue was re-erected at the Quay Head in 1949.

Following alterations to the City Centre in 1999, the much-travelled statue is now part of the new water feature in the pedestrianised area of the Centre.