Legend Gallery

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by William McLaren

King Arthur welcomes the Green Knight into the Banqueting Hall and invites him to dismount and eat with the company. Everyone is amazed to see the unexpected visitor, holding a bunch of holly in one hand and a large green axe in the other. The Green Knight turns down Arthur's invitation, instead issuing a challenge, that if anyone there is brave enough to exchange blows with him, he will give them his battleaxe

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Angels of Mons, cover design for piano music

Angels of Mons (Reve Mystique), cover design for solo piano music by Sydney C Baldock, inspired by rumours of angelic intervention in the fighting (Battle of Mons, Belgium, 23 August 1914) during World War One

© Mary Evans Picture Library

1914, 1915, Angel, Angelic, Apparitions, August, Baldock, Battle, Belgium, Cover, D Ream, Design, Fighting, Great, Helmet, Historical, History, Inspired, Intervention, Legend, Mons, Music, Mystic, Mystique, Paranormal, Piano, Pointing, Reve, Rumour, Rumours, Shield, Soldiers, Solo, Sword, Sydney, Vision, War, Wings, World, Ww, Ww 1

Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and Rosamund Clifford

Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of King Henry II, and Rosamund Clifford, the king's mistress, in Woodstock Park, Oxfordshire. According to legend, Eleanor discovered Rosamund and forced her to choose between the dagger and the bowl of poison - Rosamund chose the latter and died.
circa 1170s

© Mary Evans Picture Library