Everyone loves elephants or at least are intrigued by them. They are ungainly, huge, have peculiar noses and are frightened of mice.

Way back before people took holidays abroad, explorers used to send back descriptions of these amazing animals. Initially they thought elephants lacked knees which meant if they fell over they were doomed as they struggled to get upright. For a very long time only a very few people in Europe had ever seen one but word got back that they were so huge they could carry castles on their backs yet they were afraid of mice.

My painting is based on a description from the thirteenth century and the huge creature has King's College Gatehouse, part of the University of Cambridge, on its back along with a few lost crusaders. Imagination is a beautiful thing.