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Misericords depicting animals

Dromedary with palm leaves

More misericords, the first two again from Stratford. The strange-looking animal between the two monsters above is a dromedary, presumably carved by someone who had never seen a camel. The fine stag below is being ridden by a naked woman for some reason.

Naked woman riding a stag

The lions’ heads misericord is from another Holy Trinity church, this time in Coventry city centre.

Lions heads

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David

Misericords depicting birds

Owl

Once again from Stratford church. Owls, like this fine carving of one in flight, regularly crop up as the subject of misericords. To the medieval church they did not symbolise wisdom, but on the contrary malicious ignorance.

Eagle holding an infant in swaddling

The eagle in the centre here has an infant in its claws. Presumably again some kind of symbol, but I don’t know what. Apparently the posture of the lion, on the left, indicates that it is meant to be cowering.

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David

Misericords depicting vegetation

Vine leaves

These fourteenth-century wood carvings are from Holy Trinity Church, Stratford – they are just a few steps from the grave of Shakespeare.

Double roses

Many of the other carvings depict low-life scenes. These show stylised leaves or (above) double roses.

Vine leaves

Foliage

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David

Close-up of a broom flower

Close-up of a broom flower

The flower on this broom bush looks even more exotic than it actually was in this wide-angle macro shot.

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David

Two Sutton Park lakes

Longmoor pool

Two of the larger pools in Sutton Park, pictured last summer. The herd of cows are after drinking from Longmoor Pool, while the view below is of Keeper’s Pool.

Keeper's pool

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David

Sycamore tree

Sycamore tree

The buds in the previous post were growing on a twig on the lowest branch of this tree.