Design for a Gargoyle by Henry Hugh Armstead (1828-1905), for Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, Wales. Under his signature in the right-hand corner is the address of Armstead's studio from about 1868 onwards: Bridge Place, Eccleston Bridge, London (very near Victoria Station).
The gargoyle can be seen in situ on the façade of the cathedral:
The hooded figure has the appearance of a monk: he holds his hood back with his hands as if to facilitate the flow of water from the drainage spout, which issues from within his mouth. Although only lightly sketched in, this is better seen in the main design above.
Source of scanned images: the archives of W. Clarke of Llandaff; recent photographs of the gargoyle taken by Michael Statham. The images may be used without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit W. Clarke, Llandaff, or the photographer, and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. [Click on all the images to enlarge them.] — Jacqueline Banerjee
Created 13 January 2023
Last modified 4 October 2024