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Oxford's Gargoyles and Grotesques
From the Introduction:
“As you cross Magdalen Bridge and enter Oxford from the east, you receive a blessing; from the first corner on the right there emerges an episcopal figure, his hand raised in benediction. From a cathedral city and from a university founded by churchmen, such a welcome might be expected. But if you look closely along the building – for the first time perhaps, though you may often have passed this way before – you will see that the stonework is peopled with carved figures; a winged lion, a man riding a horned demon, and faces, staring and soulful. …”
* * * *
Here is a guidebook to one of the most unusual (self-guided) circular tours that can be made of central Oxford (England); an exposition of some of the finest and most humorous medieval (and later) examples of the stonemasons’ skill and artistry. Taking a pair of binoculars, the basic tour begins at the Bodleian Library, crosses Radcliff Square, proceeds past the University Church (St Mary’s) to Merton College, Magdalen College, St Peter’s-in-the-East, then down Queen’s Lane to St Edmund Hall and New College, returning to the Sheldonian Theatre. Diversions are suggested to Christ Church and to New College.
Those with limited neck movement are best advised to follow the tour from the comfort of their armchair, enjoying the 106 b/w photographs in conjunction with the text.
“As you cross Magdalen Bridge and enter Oxford from the east, you receive a blessing; from the first corner on the right there emerges an episcopal figure, his hand raised in benediction. From a cathedral city and from a university founded by churchmen, such a welcome might be expected. But if you look closely along the building – for the first time perhaps, though you may often have passed this way before – you will see that the stonework is peopled with carved figures; a winged lion, a man riding a horned demon, and faces, staring and soulful. …”
* * * *
Here is a guidebook to one of the most unusual (self-guided) circular tours that can be made of central Oxford (England); an exposition of some of the finest and most humorous medieval (and later) examples of the stonemasons’ skill and artistry. Taking a pair of binoculars, the basic tour begins at the Bodleian Library, crosses Radcliff Square, proceeds past the University Church (St Mary’s) to Merton College, Magdalen College, St Peter’s-in-the-East, then down Queen’s Lane to St Edmund Hall and New College, returning to the Sheldonian Theatre. Diversions are suggested to Christ Church and to New College.
Those with limited neck movement are best advised to follow the tour from the comfort of their armchair, enjoying the 106 b/w photographs in conjunction with the text.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
44 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
February 7, 2013
This is a beautifully written & relatively easy to follow guide; full of fascinating information on a particular and popular longstanding craft.
A gargoyle is essentially a decorative water spout placed for the practical purpose of draining water off a roof and away from the underlying wall. A grotesque (known as a ‘babewyn’ in the late medieval period) solves no similar engineering problem. Its purpose is to decorate and to remind. A grotesque is so named for the exaggeration of expression in the carving. Because stone weathers over time (rain is acidic, water freezes), new carvings are regularly needed to replace the old; such inspiration is often modelled, with great tongue-in-cheek humour, on Oxford notables of the day.
It’s been some years now since myself and a couple of friends took ourselves off on this self-guided tour. The author advises allowing a whole day; he is right to do so because I remember not only enjoying spotting gargoyles and grotesques; but also finding myself sufficiently fascinated to turn my binoculars on other architectural features of this quieter ‘upper’ Oxford, which are normally entirely overlooked by the vast majority of tourists milling round Oxford on any given day.
One of the (to me) more gruesome, but beautifully visualised, carvings on the west end of Magdalen chapel is of a monster crunching a child in its jaws. I also remember particularly enjoying the wide-eyed lemur (not native to Britain) at New College.
Doing this tour with a couple of friends turned out to be a good idea. Safety in numbers? Well, I expect that had been on my own, I might well have felt somewhat self-conscious. But it’s also so much easier if one person has the binoculars, the second person reads from the book, whilst the third person answers questions from curious tourists who want to know what’s going on!
Here is a good excuse to return to Oxford, to make this tour again, and to find out what may have changed for better or for worse.
A gargoyle is essentially a decorative water spout placed for the practical purpose of draining water off a roof and away from the underlying wall. A grotesque (known as a ‘babewyn’ in the late medieval period) solves no similar engineering problem. Its purpose is to decorate and to remind. A grotesque is so named for the exaggeration of expression in the carving. Because stone weathers over time (rain is acidic, water freezes), new carvings are regularly needed to replace the old; such inspiration is often modelled, with great tongue-in-cheek humour, on Oxford notables of the day.
It’s been some years now since myself and a couple of friends took ourselves off on this self-guided tour. The author advises allowing a whole day; he is right to do so because I remember not only enjoying spotting gargoyles and grotesques; but also finding myself sufficiently fascinated to turn my binoculars on other architectural features of this quieter ‘upper’ Oxford, which are normally entirely overlooked by the vast majority of tourists milling round Oxford on any given day.
One of the (to me) more gruesome, but beautifully visualised, carvings on the west end of Magdalen chapel is of a monster crunching a child in its jaws. I also remember particularly enjoying the wide-eyed lemur (not native to Britain) at New College.
Doing this tour with a couple of friends turned out to be a good idea. Safety in numbers? Well, I expect that had been on my own, I might well have felt somewhat self-conscious. But it’s also so much easier if one person has the binoculars, the second person reads from the book, whilst the third person answers questions from curious tourists who want to know what’s going on!
Here is a good excuse to return to Oxford, to make this tour again, and to find out what may have changed for better or for worse.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review