Kilwinning Abbey Gargoyle

The gargoyle was carved by sculptors working at the Tironensian Abbey of Kilwinning, constructed during the 12th /13th centuries. These stylised water-spouts projected rainwater from the roofs of stone buildings away from their walls. Originally, the spouts were quite plain but later masons decorated them as humans, animals or fantastic creatures. The stone's upper side has a trough carved in it leading to a hole. On the lower side the stone is carved to represent a sitting lion. It has front and back legs, paws, mane, two eyes and ears and a mouth where the hole is.