Photos by Barry Wallace
I've probably driven or walked by the impressive main gates at Marylake Augustinian Monastery, on the northern edge of the village of King City, a couple of thousand times during the 55 years I've lived in King. I've taken photographs of the gates many times over the years also. But I have to admit I'd never noticed the plaque at the top of the gateway until this week. As I prepared to take a picture of it, I assumed it had something to do with Sir Henry Pellatt, the creator of the buildings at Marylake which remain to this day and remind us of his Toronto home (castle) Casa Loma. I was therefore surprised to see the plaque was festooned with catholic religious symbols, such as a bishop's mitre, a bleeding heart and arrow, a staff, a cross, a book, etc. Obviously, this installation followed Sir Henry's time at Marylake and had to be the work of the monks of the Order of St. Augustine. The priest at Marylake confirmed that what I was looking at was a replica of the old Seal of St. Augustine.
So then, while the gates at Marylake date from some time after 1911, the Seal of St. Augustine plaque dates from some time after 1942.
The gates at Marylake are quite impressive from a distance, but they show the toll time has taken on the beautiful masonry work, when viewed up close. Maintenance and repairs are no doubt continuous and costly.
Please comment if you wish.
Barry Wallace
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