Guess the Place

[John Walker]

Nice photo.  Quick guess - Barden Lake, Tonbridge ?

[Stewie]

thanks grandarog next one might give you something to ponder over, taken this Autumn. After this I might take a rest!

[grandarog]

Well done ,it is indeed one of the lions on the gate at RBLV at Aylesford. They were Stolen. as JohnWalker hinted. The Police recoved them a few days later in a Garagelockup at Marden or Malling cant remember which.No idea why they are on the Gate posts.


Lion statues worth £200,000 are recovered after being stolen from the Royal British Legion Village near Aylesford (kentonline.co.uk)



Over to you Stewie.

[MartinR]

Well pending Grandarog's confirmation the background looks identical.  Why has the RBL got them though?
The Lion represents the Lion of Judah.  King David was of the tribe of Judah, and so Jesus of Nazareth was "of the line of David", and hence of the tribe of Judah.  Revelation links the Lion of Judah to Jesus.  The serpent is of course the tempter from the Garden of Eden in Genesis.  Hence the serpent came to represent Satan.  The symbolism is therefore of the second coming of Jesus vanquishing the Devil at the end of time.  The other statue of the Lioness protecting her cubs is also full of Christian symbolism.  The lioness is the bride of the Lion, Jesus, and represents the Church.  The Church is therefore protecting her "cubs", us, from the serpent/Satan.  Now you see why I assumed an ecclesiastical setting!
After a bit of digging, if they are at Preston Hall, then they are at:

• Nat Grid:                  TQ 72787 58028
• Nearest Post Code:  ME20 7NH
• Co-ords (WGS84):    51°17'43"N,000°28'37"E or 51.295163,0.476884

[Stewie]

These ones?


Lion statues worth £200,000 stolen from Royal British Legion Village near Aylesford (kentonline.co.uk)

[Stewie]

Are the at the grade 2 listed Preston Hall In the royal British Legion village in Aylesford?

[MartinR]

Is that the Lion killing the serpent?  In which case are we looking for a Church/chapel - probably 19thC or heavily restored then?

[MartinR]

"Great Lines Chatham" is probably a good enough location, but just in case anyone is having difficulty locating it on a map:

• Nat Grid:                    TQ 76294 68000
• Nearest Post Code:   ME4 4NA
• Coords (WGS84):      51°23'01"N,000°31'55"E or 51.383667,0.532065

[John Walker]

Are they back home now?

[grandarog]

Thanks Stewie.
                          Staying with the Lion theme where will you find this one.

[Stewie]

yes it is grandarog, we visited here on a KHF outing around Brompton which is where I took the picture.

[Stewie]

yes it is grandarog, Chatham Naval war memorial There is a connection to the KHF because I took the picture during a walking tour of Brompton and we ended up here, (see attached picture, not mine though).

[grandarog]

Looks like one of the 4 Stylised Lions to be found at the base of all the Royal Navy War Memorials so presumably on the great lines Chatham.

[MartinR]

Aha! I thought, easy that one.  Rochester Bridge, but the lions there are in bronze and more finely detailed.  So, to start fishing: East or West Kent?

[Stewie]

Thank you MartinR. Again I have not got much to entertain you all with but having a 'dig' around, I did find this image taken some time ago as the date shows. So where was I when I took this photograph?