The Gargoyle Book
According to tradition, the gargoyles were posted as sentries, to ward off
malevolent spirits and to remind parishioners of the evil beyond the church
doors. Author Lester Burbank Bridaham takes a more optimistic view. Noting
the stone guardians' whimsical nature, he discusses the artisanal ingenuity
involved in their creation. He also points out how they represented a rare
sense of freedom in the Middle Ages, in terms of public satire and unbridled
artistic enthusiasm. As this book reveals, the timeless appeal of the gargoyle
— whether symbolic, spiritual, decorative, or fanciful — continues to captivate the
imagination.
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