My continued search for the Dragon’s of London. Brings me this week to those found on Borough High Street, the stretch of road that links the Elephant Castle with London Bridge, entrance gate to the City. This being the week we celebrate St. Georges, the dragons we see are all in some way link to St George. I must thank John Constable a local historian (see link at the bottom of the blog) who supplied some of the information gathered for this blog.
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| ST GEORGE AND THE DRAGON: 1458 – 1460 MUSÉE JACQUEMART-ANDRÉ |
As we all know St George is the Patron saint of England. But he is not just special to the English but to many other nations around the world, including: Romania, Ethiopia and Greece. In Catalonia people give loved ones gifts of books and flowers on St. Georges Day. To the English St. George will always be associated with slaying the dragon.
The basic story is this. There is a wicked dragon, destroying the land, spreading pestilence and destruction wherever it breaths. To keep the monster away from their town the local people feed the dragon sheep. But this fails to satisfy its hunger and it is decided to sacrifice a young woman. They cast lots; and the lot falls on the King’s daughter and she is chosen. The King begs for her to be spared, in vain. The girl dressed as a bride, is led to the dragon’s lair and left to the mercy of the beast. But to her rescue comes a knight in shining armour, St George, comes riding to the rescue. Slays the dragon, and in some versions of the story marries the princess.
In Christian history there are many that do battle with dragons or serpents. The most notable being Michael the archangel in the book of Reverlation, chapeter 12 we read “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”. This is the serpent, that turns up in the Garden of Eden, tempts Eve, and the fall of man, soon follows. The dragon continues to tempt man today, turning up in many disguises to tempt us all.
But we are looking at St. George and the dragon for this blog. The original St. George was a Christian martyr whom a Roman soldier, tortured and put to death by the Emperor, for refusing to sacrifice to his pagan gods. So St. George slaying the dragon symbolises Christianity’s power to over throw pagan traditions. Another example of this symbolism is found in winter becoming spring. The dragon is winter, cold, dark and deathly, making short our days. Then spring arrives (St. George), He puts winter to the sword, bringing light, life and resurrection.
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| ST GEORGE THE MARTYR CHURCH, BOROUGH HIGH STREET |
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| ST GEORGE (LEFT) ST. MICHAEL AND THE GREEN DRAGON (RIGHT) |
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| ST GEORGE AND THE RED DRAGON |
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| ST GEORGE AND DRAGON ON OLD WATER TANK |
In our trip up Borough High Street, in search of dragons we are starting off at the Elephant Castle end, at the church of St George the Martyr. This is one of the oldest churches in London, there has been a church here for almost a thousand years. In the time of the Crusades, it was the last stopping off point for the crusaders on their way to Jerusalem, who wanted a blessing from St. George. We can find three dragons inside on fantastic stain glass windows and on an old water tank.
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| GREAT PUB SIGNAGE, GEORGE KILLING A RED AND GREEN DRAGON |
Continuing on up, the same side of the street, you come to The George Inn. This is London’s oldest galleried pub, which is owned by the National Trust. Shakespeare, Dickens, Chaucer and many others would of known the George Inn. It was one of the many Inn’s found along Borough High Street, the only point at the time where the Thames could be crossed. The place where weary and tired travellers could stop and rest, before they continue their journey to Canterbury or to wherever they were going.
For our next stop we have to cross the road and where the road forks off we find the War Memorial. St George is also the Patron Saint of soldiers, archers and chivalry. Below the bronze soldier on the stone plinth we see St. George carved in stone.
Before we get to the end of our short journey, we pass this small passage that leads to the market. Is that a shadow of a real dragon I see, or just a trick of the light.
Before we get to the end of our short journey, we pass this small passage that leads to the market. Is that a shadow of a real dragon I see, or just a trick of the light.
And so to the end of the journey at London Bridge and the dragons that guard the City of London, which I covered on my first blog about the boundary dragons. You will notice on the shield of the dragon a small sword. This is the sword of St. Paul, Patron saint of the City of London.
The hunt continues, I will let you know when I find some more of these fantastic beasts.
More of John Constable www.crossbones.org.uk
www.southwarkmysteries.co.uk/john-constable
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