Winged Pigs?

[catherine at cator-manor.demon.co.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 22740

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., meboriqua at a... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., blpurdom at y... wrote:
> > --- In HPforGrownups at y..., catherine at c... wrote:
> >   The school gates are flanked by winged pigs, the 
> > > symbolism of which currently eludes me, but because of this I 
was 
> > > assuming that the name Hogwarts preceded the name Hogsmeade.  
Mead 
> > = an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey.   
> Sorry for such a long snip here.  As someone who is not a certified 
> (or maybe certifiable is a better word) member of L.O.O.N., I feel 
not 
> too stupid when I ask where there are references to winged pigs 
> flanking the school gates at Hogwarts.  Can anyone help me out?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> --jenny from ravenclaw******************************************

Well, I'm not really accurate here, because the books really refer 
to "winged boars" but the first time Harry reaches the school by 
going through the school gates is in PoA, and the quote reads as 
follows:

"As the carriage trundled towards a pair of magnificent wrought-iron 
gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars..."

PoA: The Dementor.

I still stand by what I said earlier about the derivation of 
Hogsmeade.  I also didn't think that it sounded Scottish or Cumbrian, 
but from West England.  I also note the point that villages 
traditionally often grew up outside the walls of large castles.  The 
reason the name of Hogsmeade developed could be nothing to do with 
location.  Afterall, the reason Hogwarts is where it is because it is 
away from the prying eyes of Muggles - the founders wanted somewhere 
remote.

Catherine