Blatant theme shot today. Also I'm not sure I've ever posted the great gate at St John's so that you can see the decoration above. The college was founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, and the red rose of Lancaster and the portcullis are her emblems. Between the emblems are a couple of mythical beasts called yales which have elephants' tails, antelopes' bodies and goats' heads, with horns which can supposedly swivel from back to front. Scattered around the gate, and in fact all around the college, are white marguerites and blue forget-me-nots representing the Beaufort family motto 'Souvent me Souvient' - 'I often remember'. There is also a mouse's head and another mouse's bottom and tail working their way in and out of the decorations. Pretty nice craftsmanship for 500 years ago. Anyway - if you get the angle right you can look through all the archways all the way to Third Court.
Three good things:
1. Monty is making good progress according to the vet. Not right yet though so more anti-inflammatories and no hoop play for 6 weeks at least. :0( Other walks OK though :0)
2. Everybody out tonight so time to catch up on some work.
3. I took two cameras out with me, neither with a memory card and despite being very badly patronised in the camera shop I bought a brand new one - probably about due really - and I have a spare in my purse!
Now I can look at this gate in an educated fashion! Like the perspective created here with the person walking towards you. Glad Monty is improving, must walk again soon as long a Saski doesn't over excite him.
Do you carry this much knowledge around in your head or did you have a little help form Google? You always make it sound so interesting, perhaps you should be a guide? I love the shot all the way through the gates, and the decorations are fabulous.
Lovely to see that gate with all the emblems, great detail. Thank you for all the information, interesting as recently read books in which she featured.
@busylady I knew all this as I've been through many times and the porters love to explain it. I did 'borrow' the college website to speed up the typing though!
Looking at this large the detail's fantastic - what a beautiful gate. Like the view through to the gates beyond as well (always a sucker for a glimpse through a gate!). Glad to hear Monty's on the mend
So, were you hanging around here to get a glimpse of HRH then?? It looks really good enlarged, with the contrast between the ornate gate and the arches through the courts.
