MIDDLETON ON THE WOLDS HERITAGE

The Hare: A Symbol of Our Village

For the third of our Three Hares, we asked the artist to depict hares in the natural landscape of the Wolds. Brown hares have been seen in the fields around our village in both ancient and modern times. We chose this hare design for it’s interaction with the past and present, the land, farming, windmills, shops, saddlery and general village life.

If you talk to the locals, most have spotted a hare, with one lady even insisting that the East Yorkshire Hare is an extra-large specimen! While we couldn’t find evidence to support this claim, if you do see an extra-large hare, please let us know!

Hares in History and Myth

Hares have long been celebrated for their fertility, especially in Pagan times. They were linked to the Pagan goddess Eostre, associated with spring, dawn and rebirth. The idea of a hare delivering Easter eggs dates back to the 1600s, and it was definitely a hare, not a rabbit. The fertility of the land surrounding our village was crucial in establishing an agricultural community, making the hare a fitting symbol for village life.

Superstitions and Beliefs

Hares have also been surrounded by superstition. Samuel Pepys, for instance, carried a hare’s foot for good luck. People often regarded hares with suspicion, believing them to be shapeshifters. Women accused of witchcraft were said to transform into hares. In Middleton, people placed charm stones and upside-down horseshoes on their doors to ward off witches and wizards, influenced by local storytelling and beliefs. You can read more about our early cottages by visiting our Base Camp Site at The Village Green.

Conservation Concerns

The population of brown hares is currently in decline across the country, with hares becoming extinct in some areas. Changing farming practices that reduce biodiversity are the most probable cause. Hares need food throughout the changing seasons, eating a variety of plants. As a result, when hares are present, a greater variety of plants species grow, which  enhances biodiversity. They also benefit the eco system as in addition to consuming plants, they are a food source to predators, including foxes, buzzards, owls and even stoats who rely on catching young leverets. This is another reason to celebrate the hares that still thrive around our village. 

Another threat to hares is the so-called ‘sport’ of hare coursing, which involves gambling and using two dogs to chase hares to the point of exhaustion. There was a recent conviction for illegal hare coursing at Burton Agnes on 14th May 2025. Read more about it here. Hare coursing has been illegal since 2004. If you suspect hare coursing, please contact the Police on 111 or 999.

Source https://hare-preservation-trust.com/species-status/brown-hare-history

Source Oxford Open Learning March Hares: Madness, Magic and Myth at https://ool.couk

We hope to add more to the website in this area. If you have any local information or stories about hares, please get in touch!