21 October 2016

The Danby Gate @ Oxford Botanic Garden

The Danby Gate in Oxford (1632-33). 

I previously wrote a couple of articles about the York House Water Gate in London. The architect Nicholas Stone is now considered to have been its designer and builder, and comparisons are often drawn with the Danby Gate in Oxford, built 1632-33.

I managed to have a look round the Danby Gate, now the entrance to the Botanic Garden, on a recent visit to the city. Here are some pics ...

The gate from inside the garden. 

A statue of Charles I inside one of the pediments.

The tympanum, with its bust of the 1st Earl of Danby, who commissioned the gate in 1621. The latin inscription reads 'Gloriae Dei Opt. Max. Honori Caroli Regis, in usum Acad. et Reipub. Henricus comes Danby DD. MDCXXXII.'

The other pediment showing Charles II in classical pose.

Another photo from inside the gardens, with Magdalen College tower in the background.

The Botanic Garden is well worth a visit in itself - it's open all year round and an adult ticket is a very reasonable £5.

The York House Water Gate Part One

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