Scooby Doo appears to have visited Kew Gardens!
He is actually one of the Queen's Beasts, ten heraldic animals representing the genealogy of Elizabeth II. They (or rather, stone replicas of the plaster originals) stand guard in front of the Palm House. 'Scooby' is the White Greyhound of Richmond, originally the badge of the Earl of Richmond and later used by Henry VII.
3 comments:
Thank you for reminding me of these. I wonder if the topiary versions at Hall Place, Bexley, are still there. Years ago, when the Resident Wise Woman and I visited Hall Place, the topiary was rather overgrown and the RWW decided the beasts all looked like squirrels. They have been referred to in our household as the Queen's Squirrels ever since.
I've not visited Hall Place but have now added it to my 'to do' list: thank you! I do like the idea of the Queen's Squirrels.
Caroline, I believe there are more heraldic figures on deispaly at the new exhibition at theV&A on the links between the Tudor and Stuart Courts and Russia.
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