Everyone who comes to visit us for the first time asks, as they arrive, “what is that great arch with the deer on it just up the road”?
We call it Stag Gate.
We live in an interesting part of England. The answer is Charlborough Park, The Drax estate. The Wikipedia entry is well worth a “read”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charborough_House
Lion Gate
and the sculpture up the drive.
Lulworth Castle and of course Corf Castle both were on the King’s side and will be shown in due course.
I dimly recalled the house’s name–must be because of the Stuarts. All this is so odd and enticing–Erle, Drax, the gates and their names, the sculpture-happy drive.
Dutch culture lacks something a Dutchman admires so much abroad, especially in th UK and France: the unlimited surrender to beauty and perfection. The Dutch link these to a Calvinist kind of forbidden demonstration of luxury. But I think it’s more than that, it’s also a matter of real culture, an attempt to reach the summits of what humans can achieve. Cf. also sport in British culture, drama, etc. I enjoy the pictures and when I’m in Britain I feel fine in the presence of these things.