The Storyteller: In search of the three hares

As regular readers will know, I’m very interested in visiting old churches, and admiring their beautiful architecture, in particular the Devil’s Door, either long since blocked up, or still functioning.

Something I’ve been seeking out for several years now, and which I’ve written about, and spoken about in my articles and talks, many times, but there is something else that has drawn my attention, of late, and they are to be found high up in the ceiling, depicted on a boss, alongside the Green Man, and other Pagan and early Christian imagery, and that is The Three Hares, also known as The Hunt of Venus, or, more importantly on Dartmoor, The Tinners Rabbits.

This image takes the form of three hares, or rabbits, running in a circle, with only three long ears between them, but the way they interlock, each animal seems like it has two ears...clever stuff.

The bosses with this symbol, are prevalent throughout Devon, in its medieval churches, but its history goes back much further, possibly to 581 AD. Having been first discovered in parts of Asia, then spread around the world, by merchants plying their trade along what were known as the Silk Routes.

The Three Hares was recognised as being symbolic of the Holy Trinity,  and the Virgin Mary, so British tradesmen felt they would be suitable adornments for their own local churches back home, after transporting the design back on expensive oriental ceramics.

I first became aware of The Hunt of Venus, when I found it on an information board, depicting all the various Pagan symbols amongst the bosses decorating the ceiling of St Pancras Church in Widecombe in the Moor.

Then, whilst I was researching my Ghost Walk around Chagford, in particular, looking for flowers on Mary Whiddon’s memorial stone in front of the church altar, I came across a pamphlet that highlights all the churches containing similar bosses, not just on Dartmoor, but in the wider Devon area, which form part of what has been dubbed The Three Hares Trail.

As it was in the church in Chagford, that I found the list, I felt it only right that I should first look for the two to be found there, and, sure enough, there they are, helpfully lit up by spotlights, to aid their discovery. One is above the south entrance, whilst the second is to the left of the altar.

I was intrigued to note some of the other locations, where the symbol can be found, such as North Bovey, home to the White Witch, Granny Mann; Spreyton, whose churchyard houses the grave of the infamous Uncle Tom Cobley; Ashreigney, a tiny north Devon village, where my partner’s father heralds from; Sampford Courtney, also north Devon, which has a Green Man boss close by; and South Tawton, which also boasts one of my intriguing, sealed up, Devil’s Doors, that now sports a war memorial, complete with several flags.

Readers from the Torbay area, will be excited to learn that, St John the Baptist, in Paignton, also has one. This is where my stepdaughter, Vicky, got married, many moons ago now. I can’t say I spotted it, whilst I was there, so I would be most grateful if somebody could pay a visit, to get a photo of it, and send it to me, for my collection...many thanks in advance.

It’s not only church bosses, that contain the symbol, but at The Castle Inn in Lydford, there is a magnificent stained-glass window containing the Three Hares, along with an ornate Green Man close by. Whilst the farm at Routrundle, has a fine weather vane sporting the image.

It has been suggested that, many of these church bosses were paid for by the patronage of rich medieval tin miners, when they adopted the Three Hares symbol as the logo for their all-encompassing industry...thus changing the name to the Tinners Rabbits, as illustrated by its use as the pub sign outside the highest pub on Dartmoor, the Warren House Inn.

They took it on-board, supposedly, as rabbits were their staple diet, as demonstrated by all the warrens that they constructed, for the animals to breed in, nearby to areas that they mined prolifically. You can also see the logo scattered around, on old buildings in the Stannary Towns of Chagford, Ashburton, Tavistock, and Plympton, where tinners conducted their business, having come to present their precious ore.

There is one thing that puzzles me about the proliferation of all these bosses, though, and that is that, according to the list in the trail pamphlet, most churches mentioned have one, possibly two, but St John the Baptist church in Broadclyst, boasts nine! Locally known as The Broadclyst Nine. This begs the question why so many?

It’s not on the moors, it’s actually on the edge of Exeter, just up the road from where I live, on the edge of the Killerton Estate, amongst the golden/yellow painted houses, marking them as National Trust properties. This can’t have anything to do with the tinners, so were the owners of Killerton House frequent visitors to the orient, all fascinated by the symbol they found there, and all wanting to stake their claim to it, by putting it on display in their local church, thus impressing the congregation?

I was very keen to find an answer to this question, so much so that, last year, I took David Hammond on one of our recording sessions, for his radio show, to Broadclyst, but alas the church was closed. However, we did spend time in the Red Lion, next-door, and, as a result of that visit, I now have a new venue in which to host meetings for the Exeter branch of my investigation group, affectionately known as TIP-X. We meet, usually, on the second Monday of the month, from 7.30pm, and anyone who has an interest in our subject, or experiences to share, both locally and beyond, is more than welcome to join us.

I’ve made several attempts to have a look inside the church now, but, sadly, I’ve only managed it briefly, whilst waiting for the pub to open, so Sarah’s dad, Ron, could enjoy one of his last meals out, before he sadly passed earlier this year. I found only one, on that occasion, painted bright pink, as, apparently, they all are, including one that has red eyes! Even more intriguing! I hope to make another visit very soon, to locate the other eight, and, hopefully, find an answer to my question, why are so many Three Hares bosses gathered in one church?

If anyone knows the answer to this, or manages to get any photos of the symbol, either in a church or elsewhere, then please email them to me at davidtiptrips@gmail.com 

I look forward to your finds...