The Jester

This statue has always fascinated me, well at least since it was erected a few years ago. It is situated at the end of Henley Street, location of Shakespeare's Birthplace, outside the Edinburgh Woollen Mill (not a plug for the shop, but a personal connection being the part time workplace of Tom whilst at Stratford College).

Photographing this statue causes various logistical problems, including not silhouetting against the sky, and getting the correct background. I think I managed the former, another I took is pure silhouette, background more tricky, getting the right angle to hide the TV aerials on the roofs behind.

Information below about The Jester is taken from this web site :

"This is to be found in Henley Street and was commissioned by Anthony Bird OBE 'as a token of his esteem for the town in which he was born, lives and works and which has given him so much friendship, good fortune and pleasure'. Anthony Bird is Managing Director of the company Bird Group who also commissioned the statue of Olivier as Henry V at the Maybird Shopping Centre.

It is constructed of bronze standing on a stone plinth and features the Jester 'Touchstone' who was in the play 'As you like it.'
Inscriptions include - O noble fool, a worthy fool - The fool doth think he is wise but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.

This attractive sculpture was executed by James Butler MBE of Radway and is one of many fine works by this renowned artist which include carvings and designs of the Queens Beasts in Kew Gardens, the Royal Seal of the Realm, the Jubilee coin and the 50p coin commemorating Roger Bannister's 4 minute mile."