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Artworks
Henry III was inspired to the start the menagerie in the 1200s following a gift of three 'leopards' (probably lions but referred to as leopards in the heraldry on the king's shield) by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.
In 1252, Henry III was given a magnificent white bear, presumably a polar bear, by the King of Norway. Although it was kept muzzled and chained, the bear was allowed to swim and hunt for fish in the Thames. A leg collar and a ‘stout cord’ were attached to the bear to keep it from escaping. The sculpture is placed in front of the Wakefield Tower where archives record the bear was kept.
Photo by PDCA