If you have traveled along the A31 in Dorset between Sturminster Marshall and Bere Regis you might very well have seen the so called 5 legged Stag standing proudly on top of a large brick gate, known as Stag Gate. The Stag gate is one of three gates into Charborough Park Estate (the others are Lion Gate and Blandford Lodge) I have driven past these three gates many times over the years and have always been interested in a particular story as to why there appears to be a Stag with 5 legs? The story is that the stag gained an extra limb because when viewed from Charborough House and the road, the Stag appeared to only have three legs and the family demanded that a fifth leg be added, so from certain views the Stag would be seen to have four legs. Unfortunately this is not true, the real reason given on The Drax Estate Website is Although the stag appears to have five legs, the 'fifth leg' is actually a 'tree stump' originally incorporated into the sculpture to add strength, which is a shame because I do quite like the story of the Stag only having 3 legs when viewed from a certain angle. The tree stump can be clearly seen in Chris Drakes photos.
All Photos by Chris Drake
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