Gargoyles and Grotesques

by Alex Woodcock

Gargoyles are an architectural feature designed to throw rainwater clear of the walls of a building. Widely used on medieval churches, these water spouts were often richly decorated, and fashioned as serpents' heads and other fanciful shapes. Today, the term gargoyle is also popularly applied to any carved decorative head or creature high up on a building and this book is an exploration of all of these enchanting features. Written by an academic and stonecarver, it is the perfect introduction to this fascinating subject.

Gargoyles aims to provide a concise introduction to the stone carvings often found on religious and secular buildings in Britain from the medieval period to the modern. It will explore the typical imagery, some of the theories put forward to explain them, as well as consider the carvings within their architectural and social contexts. Incorporating recent and current research, the book will nevertheless be accessible to the general reader.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, History, Architecture

64 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 2011

About the author

Alex Woodcock is the author of non-fiction books on history and art including the award-winning Of Sirens and Centaurs: Medieval Sculpture at Exeter Cathedral (2013) and Gargoyles and Grotesques (2011). He wrote his PhD on medieval sculpture at the University of Southampton and then trained as a stonemason, later working at Exeter Cathedral for six years as part of the team conserving its iconic west front. A regular speaker at conferences and book festivals he is currently working on his fourth book, on the Romanesque sculpture of the southwest of England.

Reviews

[Lynden Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gargoyles, the monsters carved to convey water pipes away from the fabric of a church building, certainly capture the imagination. Apart from their very practical function, do they have another role? And what exactly are these creatures, so intriguing yet so hard to identify as specific beasts?

This slim volume, generously illustrated, is a very accessible introduction to the subject. The author discusses various theories as to the reason for carving them in such shapes, looks at the patrons who sponsored their creation and the craftsmen who made them, considers the way they use and distort the human figure, and briefly touches on their depiction in the Victorian revival of the Gothic.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found peace reading this book. Looking at all those horrific images of the gargoyles and everything around you slowly went quiet.
It gives me hope. I can almost imagine my next trip: driving in the English countryside, using this book as a tour guide searching for gargoyles and grotesques...

[Sherri Dub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!
I was enthralled by each of the inset pictures, and my interest was piqued by the definitions of a gargoyle vs grotesque.
This book is well done, and brings to life the stone carvings of the past, and a bit about their creators and financiers.
Enjoyable.

[Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon } · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read.

[Lise Mette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kjøpte denne på biblioteket i York. Synes Gargoyles er så kule! Denne bittelille boka er en informativ innføring i hvordan de ser ut, funksjon, historien bak, masse bilder og enkempler på hvor man finner dem. :)

[Aileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but informative book, lots of pictures and references as to where to find the best examples. Despite all the research, it seems no one really knows why they became so popular or varied. Shire books have some really fascinating subjects to read up on!

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by a stonemason & archaeologist who wrote his PhD thesis on mediaeval architectural stone carving - this introductory book, although short, is packed full of information. Includes lists of places to visit & further reading.