After several field trips to the National Cathedral and numerous personal trips to many cathedrals, I think I do know this one! First time in ages, Nancy, that I may not need clues. Of course, thinking I know and actually knowing are often two very different things here on weekend trivia! :)

Be back later.

Cynthia

Hmmmm, I have two thoughts on this, one a practical use and the other superstitious, am I in the ball park with either of these thoughts?

Nancy my "Shiraz" are up two inches, beans going in today.

Annette

Oh, Annette - so envious. I posted on the local FB gardening page, and learned that I was a few days late - those with raised beds here have their peas up as well. Well, I'd better get cracking.

As they have two uses, there are also 2 types of gargoyles. I am going for the original meaning. Hmmmmm....confusing, yes?

Nancy.

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These are the gargoyles on our Peace Tower, at the Canadian Parliament Buildings. And most Canadians thing the real gargoyles are in the Senate!! lol. Sorry, Canadian political joke!

A French legend that sprang up around the name of St. Romanus ("Romain") (AD 631 - 641), the former chancellor of the Merovingian king Clotaire II who was made bishop of Rouen, relates how he delivered the country around Rouen from a monster called Gargouille or Goji. La Gargouille is said to have been the typical dragon with batlike wings, a long neck, and the ability to breathe fire from its mouth. Any help?

Nancy.

I should know this as have read about and seen programs about gargoyles. Need to shake the info loose. Back later.

My lone thought on the function of gargoyles is that they look scary, so they were probably made to scare something away. Like what? I dunno. Maybe evil spirits, disease, or enemies? Time and clues will tell, or, more likely, tell a completely different tale.

TM

Well, it is officially a gorgeous day here - 22C!! Laundry is drying very quickly on the line. It would be perfect, but for a wee toothache - I have gargled with Listerine to no effect. I need to find something stronger!

TM, they ward many ills off of buildings!! Hmmmm....
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This is an Hellenistic gargoyle.

Nancy.

The first downspouts?

Annette

TM, you are thinking of grotesques. Gargoyles had a decidedly practical purpose.

I am changing sheets, doing laundry, and getting ready for the week now that Jean has left. We had two glorious spring days. Today-not so much. Cool and rainy. I am hoping we don't get a huge downpour or storm like the one in Texas or our two trees may come down. We have been waiting for one more estimate, but every extra day makes me nervous. I love getting rain, but wish the dead tree and the leaning tree were already gone.

Cynthia

There are multiple versions of the story, either that St. Romanus subdued the creature with a crucifix, or he captured the creature with the help of the only volunteer, a condemned man. In each, the monster is led back to Rouen and burned, but its head and neck would not burn due to being tempered by its own fire breath. The head was then mounted on the walls of the newly built church to scare off evil spirits, and used for protection. In commemoration of St. Romain, the Archbishops of Rouen were granted the right to set a prisoner free on the day that the reliquary of the saint was carried in procession (see details at Rouen).
Gargoyles, though, go back to ancient Egypt!! The term originates from the French gargouille, which in English is likely to mean "throat" or is otherwise known as the "gullet".
Many medieval cathedrals included gargoyles and chimeras. The most famous examples are those of Notre Dame de Paris. Although most have grotesque features, the term gargoyle has come to include all types of images. Some gargoyles were depicted as monks, or combinations of real animals and people, many of which were humorous.
Annette, you are hot!!

Nancy.

I haven't heard of grotesques. I thought gargoyles were pretty grotesque, but I guess not in all cases, huh? I can picture them on the eaves of a building, so I'm liking Annette's idea. Cynthia's rain clue seems to point in that direction too.

TM

At the National Cathedral, they make quite a point of differentiating between gargoyles and grotesques. The kids' favorite grotesque is this one! He obviously cannot be a gargoyle if you pay attention to details. I hope I am not hijacking Nancy!

Cynthia, who is about to take the last load of laundry for the night out of the dryer and then off to bed

He looks like a Star Wars trooper.

I'm going with them being rain spouts. We could have used a gargoyle this evening when a shower came through.

lol - I think you all got it, and I LOVE the storm trooper.

According to Wikipedia:
In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. A trough is cut in the back of the gargoyle and rainwater typically exits through the open mouth. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall.
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This is from Tallin, Estonia.

In Ancient Egyptian architecture, gargoyles showed little variation, typically in the form of a lion's head. Similar lion-mouthed water spouts were also seen on Greek temples, carved or modeled in the marble or terracotta cymatium of the cornice. An excellent example of this are the 39 remaining lion-headed water spouts on the Temple of Zeus. There were originally 102 gargoyles or spouts, but due to the heavy weight (they were crafted from marble), many have snapped off and had to be replaced.
Both ornamented and unornamented water spouts projecting from roofs at parapet level were a common device used to shed rainwater from buildings until the early eighteenth century. From that time, more and more buildings bought drainpipes to carry the water from the guttering roof to the ground and only very few buildings using gargoyles were constructed. This was because some people found them frightening, and sometimes heavy ones fell off, causing damage. In 1724, the London Building Act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain made the use of downpipes compulsory on all new construction.
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This is a fun one. I saw an attachment of metal that was a gargoyle that could be attached to your normal every day downspout at Canada Blooms, a big garden show a couple of years ago. Very cool.

Well, you all caught on very quickly this week. Must think harder for next week! Then, I will be gone for a couple of weeks, minimum. However, cue scary music - Thin Man has graciously offered to fill in while my brain is full of drugs!! I see math in your future, possibly even perfect numbers in your futures!! Thanks, TM. Till then, for everyone:

See you all next week - thanks for playing!!

Nancy.

I love love love that downspout attachment! So fun. Thanks for the stars.

TM is taking over for you? Oh jeepers. I had better study up-not that that will help much, I fear. I am such a dunce with science/math questions! Of course, one might also say I am pretty much the same with most of your questions, Nancy.

Nonetheless, I always thoroughly enjoy every question and that is the important thing, isn't it?!

I am sending lots of good energy for your surgery and recovery.

Oh, and the grotesque in the picture is Darth Vader! He is pretty cool.

Cynthia

Another great question and answer, Nancy. Thanks for the stars and the fun.

Until next weekend ...

TM

Thanks for the stars. I also find that downspout attachment interesting for a fantasy garden.

Am thinking of you as you progress through the steps to your surgery and recovery.