6
The true origins
of Keele’s Herbert
the Dragon
Herbert the Dragon, Keele’s bronze mascot, was originally
thought to be around 100 years old and to have been
made locally, but recently discovered documents have
revealed that Herbert is actually from the 19th Century –
and Italian!
H
erbert, a cast bronze 'fabulous
monster' statue, was believed
to date from the start of the
20th Century and be one of a pair of
giant boot-scrapers, made for Keele
Hall at the nearby Gresham’s Apedale
Works. However, recently uncovered
Sneyd family documents researched
by Keele’s Special Collections and
Archives team have revealed that
Herbert actually dates back to the
19th Century and was brought to
Staffordshire from Italy by Col. Ralph
Sneyd in 1903.
Herbert was originally installed above
a well in the conservatory of Keele
Hall, but in 1951 Herbert was found in
three pieces in a skip and was rescued
by one of the University’s founding
lecturers Dr Ron Evans, and his wife
Mairwen. The statue was repaired,
cleaned and polished and named
Herbert, becoming the University
mascot for sporting competitions.
Herbert now lives in
his “Dragon’s Den”
in the atrium of Keele
University Library.
“I discovered documents and
photographs relating to 'Herbert'.
He is in fact a North European
nineteenth century 'fabulous
monster', in the Gothic style, once
part of a drinking fountain with
a stone font, brought from Italy
by Col. Ralph Sneyd in 1903 and
installed in the 'Flower Court' in
Keele Hall."
Helen Burton, Curator of Special
Collections and Archives in
Keele University Library