Weathervane (or weathercock) from the Old English word ‘fane’ meaning ‘flag’.
Gillett & Johnston have recently completed a full restoration of a Dragon weathervane. The weathervane which is located in Wales needed to be restored to its full glory after many years weathering the elements.
Our engineers travelled into Wales and brought the Dragon weathervane back to our works to be fully restored.
The restoration of the weathervane involved using the finest ethically sourced gold leaf and special paints and preserves to be weather resistant.
The Red Dragon is now back in situ in is rightful place in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Gillett’s can make bespoke weathervanes as well as restoring and conserving weathervanes. Traditionally a cockerel would be used to decorate the top of a weathervane with letters indicating the points of the compass. It is said that this was due to Pope Nicholas I decreeing in the 9th century that all churches must have a cockerel on their steeple or dome to symbolise how Jesus’s prophesised that Peter would deny him three times before the roster crowed on the morning following the Last Supper and ultimately betray him. Other examples of popular weathervane motifs are ships, horses and arrows but if you feel like something a bit different how about a Dragon or even a giant Cricket like the one we worked on at the Guardian Royal Exchange in London.
For more information about Gillett & Johnston weathervane’s please call us on 01883 740000 or, if preferred use the contact form.