Gargoyle

This rather splendid gargoyle is on the side of the house next door to my office. It presides over the garden that I'm featuring this week.
The house is wonderful. Even though it has been used by the hospital as offices for years, it still has an air of charm and splendour about it. I would loved to have seen it in its heyday.
I believe that the headmasters of Reading School used to live here. The school grounds are just over the back wall of the garden.

True gargoyles were designed to direct water away from buildings and their name comes from French gargouille, loosely meaning 'gullet'.

I think this one is an imposter as he doesn't appear to have any useful water deterring function. He's just a reminder of a bygone age.