 gargoyle known as the “defecating” or “mooning gargoyle”, although rare, there are examples still in existence today. A nude, defecating man dating from the late thirteenth century appears on the side of Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in Autun, France. Whether he is intended to drive evil from the church, or is simply a little piece of mischief thought up by a medieval mind we don’t know, he does not have a prominent place on the rooftop, and is tucked away high on the south side of the cathedral. There are other examples of these somewhat naughty gargoyles in Germany, England and more in France.
The use of gargoyles as waterspouts was common up until the 18th century, when downpipes and guttering became a more popular method of water drainage. In 1724 an act of parliament made the use of downpipes compulsory on all new constructions. Gargoyles were no longer needed for their practical purpose. Although technically Grotesques and not Gargoyles due to the lack of waterspout, they were still widely used as decoration on 19th and early 20th century buildings.