25 September – The Three Hares: A Curiosity Worth Regarding

Dr Sue Andrew is an independent researcher whose studies have encompassed anthropology, comparative religion, art history, and architectural conservation. Sue writes and gives talks on her particular interest – historic buildings and the people who made and used them.

A mysterious medieval motif – three hares running in a circle sharing three ears which form a triangle at the centre of the design – is found carved in oak in sixteen churches in Devon. Curiously, it is found also in sixteen sixth- to ninth-century Buddhist cave temples on the edge of the Gobi desert in China. Sue’s talk will explore the sacred journey of the Three Hares through the holy places of Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism before uncovering fascinating links to precious portable objects from the Islamic World and the great Mongol Empire.