Statues - Hither & Thither

Site Search:

Oxford
Oxfordshire
South East England

Merton College
(Gatehouse, Merton Street)

St. John the Baptist, Walter de Merton and King Henry III

1645 and 19th century

Description

The gatehouse of Merton College was built in the 19th century, but includes a Medieval carved panel above the entrance:

Oxford - St. John the Baptist, Walter de Merton and King Henry III

relief, made in 1465, showing St. John the Baptist in the wilderness with the college founder Walter de Merton, with assorted plants and animals, including unicorn, sheep and rabbits in burrows below.
On both sides of the relief are two 19th century statues:

2. Henry III
3. Walter de Merton
Henry III (1207-1272), son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême; king 1216-1272 (Wikipedia).
Walter de Merton (c. 1205 - 1277), Bishop of Rochester and founder of Merton College (Wikipedia).

Colleges in Oxford

Most of the university colleges in Oxford occupy large areas with several buildings and courts ('quads' in Oxford). There are numerous statues, mostly in the façades of the various buildings. The statues with ☒ are not visible from the public road. Most of the colleges are accessible for visitors during certain times of the day, some for free, others for a small (or not so small) fee.

Sources & Information

Philip Opher, Oxford Sculpture (Heritage Tours Publications, 2009).
Geograph, Database (Carved panel above Merton College entrance).

Location (N 51°45'4" - W 1°15'7")

Item Code: gbse155; Photograph: 18 October 2015
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt