The rabbit landscape

Very interesting afternoon researching medieval rabbit breeding on the upland heaths. I was surprised at how many traces of the rabbit landscape still remain. Although not native to the British Isles, the rabbit has become important to the preservation of the unique flora on the upland heaths.



Above: place name evidence shows the location of ancient “warrens” which were areas where rabbits were bred and harvested for the fur and meat. Warrens would be looked after by a “warrener” in the service of the local lord. His job was to protect the rabbits through bad weather, drive off predators (foxes, stoats, weasels), and catch them for harvest.



Above: rabbits used in a coat of arms (you may need to click on the image to see it clearly). Also look at the crest, which is a big-eared rabbit. Writing in The Golden Bough Sir James Frazer described how a field of corn would be harvested by reapers working in a circular motion from the edges of the field to its centre. Eventually just a small patch of corn would be left standing. As the central portion of corn was finally harvested the animals that had taken refuge there would run for cover. Typically rabbits would be among these animals, which led to the rabbit being identified with the “corn spirit”. Originally the word “rabbit” just applied to the young, and fully-grown animals were called “conies”. Use of Coney as a surname, implies a connection with the keeping and harvesting of rabbits. In the eighteenth-century when rabbit poachers were caught in the county they were transported to Australia.



Above: rabbit pies which I bought at a local farm shop. Rabbit meat has attracted the attention of gourmet cooks in the recent revival of traditional English food. In the medieval period rabbits did not breed so prolifically as they do now, and rabbit meat was comparatively rare and a great delicacy.



Above: there was a display in the local museum of a typical medieval diet, which included rabbit meat, turtles (from the coastal areas), onions and cheese (the reddish item you can see).



Above: I very rarely see rabbits around the garden, although I am aware that there are lots of them living in the surrounding fields. I have two cats (necessary in an old farmhouse) and they often bring back wildlife they have caught. A few weeks back I saw the younger cat running around the main lawn with something furry in its mouth. After a little effort I managed to catch her and take the furry thing off her. It was a baby rabbit, a bit shaken but otherwise unharmed. After taking the above photograph I set it free (although it looks like I am gripping it tightly, I was actually holding the rabbit very gently).

Very sentimental view of rabbits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MODq81_cDKI