I love paisley patterns.
Paisley fabric is out of fashion these days, but in Victorian times it was hugely popular. The teardrop shape with the curl at the top originated in Persia. However, textile manufacturers in the Victorian era adopted the pattern.
The most popular garments using the paisley patten were shawls, called Kashmir shawls, which gave rise to the misunderstanding that paisley originated in India.
In fact, the town of Paisley in Scotland was where the Victorian era textiles were first manufactured, and from where the teardrop-shaped pattern got its name.
Paisley has become famous for one other completely unexpected reason, recently.
Paisley Abbey is a medieval structure which has been so badly damaged by time and elements that it needed restorative work in order to save it. The restoration took an interesting turn.
Gargoyles were medieval monsters carved in stone, initially designed to shed water from buildings. The gargoyles on Paisley Abbey were beyond salvaging, and had to be removed. As no two gargoyles can look alike, the restoration workers had some fun.
I love this homage to one of our most feared modern-day monsters.
Cheers,
PS: Find gargoyles fascinating? Repulsive? Interesting? All of the above? Check out The Stonebrood Saga, my paranormal romance series that features gargoyles.
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