The Headless (and legless) Statue
Yesterday we paid a visit to Eglinton Country Park near Irvine.
We were there in February this year - I did a couple of posts on it, you can see the posts I did here and here if you like.
While we were wandering around yesterday we found this statue and I just had to go and take a closer look.
I did think it was quite strange that there were no heads on either of them and that one of them had a leg missing.
Well, thereis a bit of a story to this statue. I found out about it on google - isn't google a wonderful thing ?
The inscription on it says "ye maunna tramp on the Scotch thistle laddie" (maunna meaning mustn't). The statue is of an old man, and a young boy who has stood on a thistle, the old man is trying to take the thistle out of the boys foot.
I did think it was quite strange that there were no heads on either of them and that one of them had a leg missing.
Well, thereis a bit of a story to this statue. I found out about it on google - isn't google a wonderful thing ?
The inscription on it says "ye maunna tramp on the Scotch thistle laddie" (maunna meaning mustn't). The statue is of an old man, and a young boy who has stood on a thistle, the old man is trying to take the thistle out of the boys foot.
The statue was commissioned around 1888 by the Kelvingrove International
exhibition by Paisley soap manufacturer Isdale and McCallum to
advertise their Thistle soap. The statue sat on their factory's roof
until about 1971 when the building was demolished and it was then
brought to Irvine by an Ayrshire business man. It was later taken to
Eglinton Park where it now sits.
I am extremely embarassed to say the reason why there are no heads and
that the leg is missing is because of vandalism.
What a senseless waste!!
I will never for the life of me understand why people do these things.
Vandalism is one of my pet hates I'm afraid!!!
Anyway I liked the statue, headless or not, and wanted to share it with you.
Comments
it is great
head or not
- but sad that someone decided
to behead the poor chap :(
Great pic though.
but then your photos are always great
xx
mary x
I seemed to miss the Eglington blogs first time round (I'm often out and about and it's easy to miss blogs when you follow a pile). I like links to previous blogs when they apply.
I was aware of the Earl of Eglington and a great pile of things seem to be named after him around Ardrossan and Largs, so good to see the park and castle - it all helps tie things together.
We sadly died in the First World war.
The statue was so popular at the 1888 Glasgow Exhibition that Isdale and McCallum of Paisley used it as their trademark for their soap products.
Does anyone know the identity of the older man?
Graham Hunter, Glasgow