BOTHY AND THE SEVEN HEADED DRAGON

In the last week or two I have become a volunteer at the Garden Museum. The Museum is located on Lambeth Road on the south bank of the Thames, right next to Lambeth Palace by Lambeth Bridge. The garden is planted on a very ancient grave yard, and I have been told that the occasional human bone has been dug up whilst planting.

On the first day as I was sweeping up some leaves, I overheard someone reading from an information sheet about the tomb of the Tradescant family. My ears pricked up when I heard the words seven headed dragon.  For those who have followed my blog, you will know that several posts have been dedicated to the search for the dragons of London. Here I was standing next to a seven headed dragon and a lady dragon at that, and I had completely missed it. I have meet several lady dragons in my life but they have only ever had one head, but that’s another story.

*The great stone tomb of the Tradescants, is one of the most important churchyard monuments in London. It was commissioned by Hester Tradescant, widow of the younger John after his death in 1662. The panels carved into the sides of the monument depict objects from the Tradescants’ collection and images of ruins. Dr Roger Bowdler of English Heritage has described the tomb as pivotal in the development of the English churchyard tomb. It was one of the very first examples of a prominent monument to be built in a churchyard, as opposed to inside.

On the west end of the tomb, which faces away from the church you will see a skull lacking a bottom jaw, and a seven head monster described by the 17th century antiquary John Aubrey as “ an Hieroglyphical Dragon” (meaning symbolical or emblematic).  According to Topsell’s History of Serpents (1658) dragons are the watchers and keepers of riches and treasures. This may suggest the dragon here is to protect the rare species of plants that had been collected, on the many adventurous and hazardous travels of the plant seekers. On the tomb you can read these words:

            “Know stranger as thou pass, beneath this stone

            Lye John Tradescant grandsire, father, sone

            The last died in his spring, the other two

            Lived till they had travelled art and nature thro’

            By their choice collections may appear

            Of what is rare in land in sea and air

            Whilst they (as Homer’s Iliad in a nut)

            A world of wonders in one closet shut

            These famous Antiquarians that had been

            Both gardeners to the Rose and Lily Queen

            Transplanted now themselves, sleep here, and when

            Angels shall with their trumpets waken men

            And fire shall purge the world, these hence shall rise

            And change this garden for a Paradise.”

 

Next to the tomb of the Tradescants, you will find resting place of another famous family. Admiral William Bligh, of mutiny on the Bounty fame also has a tomb in the garden. Admiral William Bligh, who became an Admiral after the mutiny lived in Lambeth. Just a short walk up Lambeth Road opposite the Imperial War Museum you will find his blue plaque. Another interesting fact: After the mutiny Bligh was appointed governor of New South Wales, so the Garden gets a lot of Aussie visitors to see 'Governor' Blighs tomb.

The Bothy

According to Wikipedia, a bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge. It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are to be found in remote, mountainous areas of Scotland, Northern England, Ireland and Wales. The Garden shed in the Garden Museum is known by some as the Bothy. It certainly is small and basic, but you couldn’t describe it as being remote or in a mountainous area.

  Anyway I knocked a carving so any would be travellers looking for accommodation for the night would know where to stay. One such local traveller turned up at the weekend a Mr F. Fox. On the Lambeth road side of the garden are few very tall Plane trees and when autumn comes the garden fills with Plane tree leaves, which are a real problem. It just so happened, I had a piece of Plane timber, so I used it to carve the sign. It seemed kind of apt and I carved a leaf on as well. Normally I would plain smooth the timber, but this time I left it rustic, I think its better.

So why not give the Garden Museum a visit and see for yourself. At the very least visit the Cafe inside and enjoy the lovely food on offer. This culinary heaven has just been placed in the top ten museum restaurants in the world. Taste the food for yourself and see why.

* Source: www.gardenmuseum.org.uk