This was another interesting decorative structure. No purpose except to make a statement. If you notice, the picture seems crooked. It isn’t. The building is. Okay, so the building was probably fine. I was crooked.
Hope you have a lovely day and are enjoying my pictures. This was also taken at the Arboretum. 🙂
Terry
For those of us that are artistically challenged, what statement do you think this building is intended to make? Or is that merely a way to make us wonder what they were up to? But I’m not confused, I just don’t know what is going on. lol
It’s a griffin holding cell. The griffins have the eagle’s head, lion’s back legs and tail, an eagle’s talons and represent both the lion, king of the beasts, and the eagle, king of the birds. They mate for life so the church actually used the griffin in architecture to represent the image against remarriage.
But sometimes unhappy griffins will partake of too much peyote and while on a hallucinogenic trip in the area, can be quite dangerous. Soooo, griffin hunters in the area are called out to net the bird/lion and place him or her in the griffon drunk cage until he sobers up and can be released back into the wild. 🙂
Ok maybe it’s just what it looks like, a decoration!
Ah, Diane, are you sure??? LOL 🙂
I had a strong feeling you were ‘pulling my leg’ so I had to find some time to look this up. There is consistent information on the Griffin/Gryphon subject, but I don’t find anything right away on what that church structure might be. It sure is an interesting subject and I shall keep looking. Here is something from the history of Garway Church in Dartmoor. “The Gryphon in early Christian beliefs represented evil in the form of the winged Devil flying away with souls or those who persecuted Christians.” This is from http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/gar_way.htm
So many things to learn and so little time, sigh
Are you sure I was just pulling your leg, Tom??? 🙂 I’ll have to find the other information too. It’s all fascinating stuff. 🙂