A BRONZE otter sits on a wall in Bideford, Devon, holding a fish under its webbed paw. Behind it, the River Torridge flows quietly beneath a long medieval bridge. More than 400 miles to the north, another sculpted otter stands proud and alert, looking down over the Galloway coast.
The books that inspired these monuments, Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson and Gavin Maxwell's Ring of Bright Water, respectively, made otter-lovers of several generations. The two very different works, one written in 1927 and the other in 1960-both still in print-together with their spin-off films, imprinted otters onto our collective consciousness. They also undoubtedly motivated some of the passionate conservationists who helped the animals recover from perilously low numbers in the late 20th century to their current, much healthier population.
Otters have always been with us. A species older than humans by several million years, Lutra lutra swims through our mythology. Otters appeared in Celtic and Norse myths as friendly, helpful creatures. The romantic Scottish island of Eilean Donan was named after an otter king who saved a selkiea shape-shifting seal woman-from a man with bad intentions. They are in Christian legend, too. Two otters obligingly dried the feet of the 7th-century St Cuthbert after he waded into the sea to pray. He became their patron saint and is often depicted with the furry pair at his feet.
Denne historien er fra September 04, 2024-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 04, 2024-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
