For the article see http://nishi.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-81/t1-g-t4.html
]]>‘‘Thingless Names’? The St George Legend in Australia’ is an article by Andrew Lynch from The University of Western Australia. It appeared in the La Trobe Journal (No. 81, pp. 40-52) in Autumn 2008. The article briefly considers the impact of medievalism in Australia during the nineteenth century before focussing in particular on the many uses of the figure of St George, with or without the dragon, which can be found throughout Australia. A wide range of examples, including statues, stained glass windows, street names, poetry, beer commercials, St George Illawarra Dragons rugby club, are used, and there is a particular focus on St George’s Cathedral in Perth.
For the article see http://nishi.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-81/t1-g-t4.html
About St Alban’s:
St Alban’s is a small limestone parish church located in Highgate, Western Australia. Built in 1889 (with enlargements in 1898) in a Victorian Romanesque style, it is one of the earliest buildings designed by well-known WA architect Sir J. J. Talbot-Hobbs (1864-1938). Its characteristically romanesque features include the semi-circular arches, the traditional load-bearing masonry of the buttresses and solid walling, and the small window and door openings in relation to the overall wall area. The St Alban’s church Hall was used briefly as a preparatory school by The Sisters of the Church of England between 1907 and 1915. For more information about St Alban’s, see: http://stalbans.org.au/about-st-albans/historic-st-albans/.
]]>An image of the ‘Saint George’ stained glass window at St Alban’s Anglican Church, Highgate. This stained glass is one of three windows (the others depicting St Alban and St Michael) located at the rear of the church. It was originally purchased for St George’s Cathedral but was later discovered to be the wrong shape (rounded instead of pointed) and was donated to St Alban’s. The stained glass depicts George standing astride a vanquished winged-dragon. As is common in artistic renditions, George’s role as a warrior saint is symbolised by a suit of elaborate armour, a sword and a shield. His spear, which pierces the dragon, is also a processional cross and has a pennant with a cross flying from it.
About St Alban’s:
St Alban’s is a small limestone parish church located in Highgate, Western Australia. Built in 1889 (with enlargements in 1898) in a Victorian Romanesque style, it is one of the earliest buildings designed by well-known WA architect Sir J. J. Talbot-Hobbs (1864-1938). Its characteristically romanesque features include the semi-circular arches, the traditional load-bearing masonry of the buttresses and solid walling, and the small window and door openings in relation to the overall wall area. The St Alban’s church Hall was used briefly as a preparatory school by The Sisters of the Church of England between 1907 and 1915. For more information about St Alban’s, see: http://stalbans.org.au/about-st-albans/historic-st-albans/.
The legend of St George slaying the dragon is Eastern in origin. It is thought to have been brought back to England by crusaders and was popularised and incorporated into hagiographies of St George in the medieval period in works such as Vincent of Beauvais’ Speculum Historiale and Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (c.1260). As with most Australian images of St George and the Dragon, the image features the knight and dragon in combat, and there is no sign of the maiden who was being saved in the original tale. For more on the St George legend in Australia, see Andrew Lynch, “‘Thingless names’? The St George Legend in Australia”, The La Trobe Journal, vol.81, Autumn 2008, pp.40-52: http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-81/t1-g-t4.html).
]]>Close-up image of the jarrah nave altar at St George’s Cathedral in Perth, Western Australia. The altar features a hand-carved knight and dragon against a St George shield to portray the St George legend. It was carved by Robin McArthur and installed in the Cathedral in 1991. The addition of this new altar at the head of the nave enabled the Eucharist service to be conducted closer to, and facing, the laity. Continuing the traditional associations of Christianity with military service that are present throughout the Cathedral, the image of St George as an armoured knight has the effect of, as Andrew Lynch has suggested, conflating piety and prowess in a positive way.
The legend of St George slaying the dragon is Eastern in origin. It is thought to have been brought back to England by crusaders and was popularised and incorporated into hagiographies of St George in the medieval period in works such as Vincent of Beauvais’ Speculum Historiale and Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (c.1260). As with most Australian images of St George and the Dragon, the image features the knight and dragon in combat, and there is no sign of the maiden who was being saved in the original tale. For more on the St George legend in Australia, see Andrew Lynch, “‘Thingless names’? The St George Legend in Australia”, The La Trobe Journal, vol.81, Autumn 2008, pp.40-52: http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-81/t1-g-t4.html).
Scans of the essay questions for the English and Cultural Studies undergraduate course Medieval in the Modern World coordinated by Andrew Lynch at the University of Western Australia. Of particular note is question 12 which asks students to write about a ‘medievalist’ feature which they can find in Perth. St George’s Cathedral, Millenium Swords and Armour, and the Society for Creative Anachronism are all provided as examples. This website is also recommended to students for help in understanding medievalism.
For the Medieval in the Modern World course see entry 468 on this website, and http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/engl/engl2238
The legend of St George slaying the dragon is Eastern in origin. It is thought to have been brought back to England by crusaders and was popularised and incorporated into hagiographies of St George in the medieval period in works such as Vincent of Beauvais’ Speculum Historiale and Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (c.1260). As with most Australian images of St George and the Dragon, the image features the knight and dragon in combat, and there is no sign of the maiden who was being saved in the original tale. For more on the St George legend in Australia, see Andrew Lynch, “‘Thingless names’? The St George Legend in Australia”, The La Trobe Journal, vol.81, Autumn 2008, pp.40-52: http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-81/t1-g-t4.html).
Image of the jarrah nave altar at St George’s Cathedral in Perth, Western Australia. The altar features a hand-carved knight and dragon against a St George shield to portray the St George legend. It was carved by Robin McArthur and installed in the Cathedral in 1991. The addition of this new altar at the head of the nave enabled the Eucharist service to be conducted closer to, and facing, the laity. Continuing the traditional associations of Christianity with military service that are present throughout the Cathedral, the image of St George as an armoured knight has the effect of, as Andrew Lynch has suggested, conflating piety and prowess in a positive way.
The legend of St George slaying the dragon is Eastern in origin. It is thought to have been brought back to England by crusaders and was popularised and incorporated into hagiographies of St George in the medieval period in works such as Vincent of Beauvais’ Speculum Historiale and Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend (c.1260). As with most Australian images of St George and the Dragon, the image features the knight and dragon in combat, and there is no sign of the maiden who was being saved in the original tale. For more on the St George legend in Australia, see Andrew Lynch, “‘Thingless names’? The St George Legend in Australia”, The La Trobe Journal, vol.81, Autumn 2008, pp.40-52: http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-81/t1-g-t4.html).