Crucifix Lane Railway Arches
I found a picture of Crucfix Lane which brings back a time when as a child in wartime London in the early 1940s being taken to Guys Hospital to see my grandmother who was terminally ill, walking along those unlit streets by the side of the railway arches and remember as though it was yesterday in Crucifix Lane seeing the Cargoyles on the arches piering down at me and I was terrified !
Now in my old age I ask myself why were the gargoyles put on the arches in the first place, they were constructed in the mid to early 1800s, there must be logical explanation but I cant find one. How about you ?
Joe Foster
Fosney
Hi Joe
Wikipedia say's
In architecture a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building. Preventing rainwater from running down masonary walls
is important because running water erodes the mortar between the stone blocks. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall.
Gargoyles are said to scare off and protect from any evil or harmful spirits.
Facinating stuff, reminds me of a few girls i went out with? obviously not Bermondsey Lasses.
Only Joking girls..................
Bermondseyboy
Interesting and in that case they may not be Gargoyles in that sence, but they are heads and as a child they frightened me! some years ago my aunt said they were something to do with a biblical theme how many there are I am unaware perhaps ten or twelve perhaps the apostles who knows but someone somewhere does. Have you seen them ?
Joe Foster
Fosney
Can't say iv'e ever noticed them.
If they don't channel the water they must be Grotesque put there to ward off evil spirits.?
Thats enough to frighten any kid.
Bermondseyboy
Steve
Hi
Myfather was born in 1914 in crufix street it was so interesting to see the photo there were no houses last time I went there I guess they were all bombed. Thanks for the picture Susie
Regarding the Heads on the Arches in Crucfix Lane and St Thomas Street I now have some better pictures of these heads but can still not find out how and why they are there. Has anyone any knowledge or idea?
Hi Joe
Great Photo's, and on close inspection I noticed holes in them?
Which I would assume that would channel water, but how it's channeled from the roof i'm not sure?
Now you have got me going, I must find out for sure, perhaps some of our Members will be able to help.
Bermondseyboy
