A 'heraldic' fish - failing to find the Barbel

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A 'HERALDIC' FISH - FAILING TO FIND THE BÄRBEL G. D. H E A T H C O T E I have an interest in heraldry, as has our previous President, F. J. Bingley, a recognised authority on animals in heraldry. I have also since moving to Suffolk been making rubbings of memorial brasses in our churches and, of course, I have an interest in natural history. These subjects can overlap and readers might be interested in a recent study of mine. It started when I published some notes on fish in heraldry in the Blazon, the journal and newsletter of the Suffolk Heraldry Society (Heathcote, 1991, '92).

These notes caught the eye of Mr John Bensusan-Butt who sent me copies of two Continental brasses showing the Bärbel (Barbus barbus), a m e m b e r of the carp family, the Cyprinidae. O n e is to Hinrich Urbech of Nordhausen in G e r m a n y , who died in 1397 (Fig. 1). This shows his shield bearing two Bärbels, and also his helmet with two Bärbels as its crest. T h e other is a memorial to Martin de Visch, Lord of Capelle, in the cathedral at Bruges. He died in 1452. I Iis shield bears two Bärbels (together with crosses of the type known as 'cross crosslet fitched') and these are shown on the surcoat he wears over his a r m o u r , but not as his crest (Fig. 2). These are what is known as 'canting arms', which pun or play on the name of the bearer. T h e G e r m a n for fish is 'fisch'.

These illustrations came from the Rev. W. F. Greeny's 'Monumental Brasses on the Continent of E u r o p e ' (1884). The Bärbels on the de Visch brass were attractively drawn but show the barbules (fleshy appendages round the mouth from which the fish gets its name) as rounded and fin-like rather than thin and pointed as in reality. Mr Bensusan-Butt also lent me a rare book by T h o m a s Moule, 'Heraldry of Fish' (1842) in which it says: 'The Bärbel is a large, strong and handsome fish . . . abundant in the Rhine, Elbe and Wasser.' I wonder if it is found there today?

Knowing nothing of the Bärbel (and little about fish in general) I approached Eric Parsons, our Fish Recorder for Suffolk, to see if the Bärbel has ever been caught in Suffolk waters. H e reported that Dr. Dudley Collings, who was then our President and also County Fish Recorder, published a comprehensive survey of Suffolk fishes and their histories (Collings, 1933) but did not mention the Bärbel. H e also spoke to Mr George H o w a r d of the Suffolk County Amalgamated Angling Association in pursuit of contemporary records, and got in touch with Mr Fred Crouch of the Association of Bärbel Enthusiasts, who supplied many details of the fish's life history.

T h e Bärbel is an indigenous species to Britain. It was originally found in the G r e a t Ouse, the Trent and the Thames, and it is the fish of the Hampshire A v o n . At the turn of the Century some of these fish were transported to other rivers, in some of which it thrives. Dr. J. S. Wortley, who is Fisheries Recreation and Conservation Officer of the R N A , commented that although there are good records of its introduction during the 1950s and 1960s into Norfolk there are no records of similar movements to Suffolk.

In Order to spawn the Bärbel requires a river with relatively constant temperature, which is well aerated, and a gravel bed in open water. There are

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Nat. Soc. 29 (1993)

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A ' H E R A L D I C ' FISH - FAILING TO FIND T H E BÄRBEL

Fig. 1

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Hinrich U r b e c h , 1397.

no areas in the flat lands of Suffolk where rivers flow at the Optimum velocity for the Barbel's eggs and larvae to survive. As Eric Parsons pointed out, rivers are classified in terms of fish zones which are based on the level of dissolved oxygen present in the water. There is a broad relationship between the flow and the oxygen content of rivers, generally with higher levels being recorded in the upper reaches, and vice versa. The Bärbel zone is relatively low in oxygen although it requires a higher level when spawning (Pivnicka & Cerny, 1987).

Although the Bärbel is a favourite quarry for anglers it is not good eating.

Isaac Walton in 'The Compleat Angler' (1665) describes its flesh as: 'reputed to be (along with the Chub) the worst, or coarsest of freshwater fish.'

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 29 (1993)

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Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 29

Fig. 2

Martin de Visch, 1452.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 29 (1993)

A ' H E R A L D I C ' FISH - FAILING TO FIND T H E BÄRBEL

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However, in Collins' Guide it says that the flesh of the race B.b. borysthenicus, which is found in the River Dnieper in the Ukraine, is very bony, but tasty, especially in big fish.

Eric Parsons introduced an interesting 'red herring' at this stage by suggesting that the heraldic fish might actually be the Burbot (Lota Iota), which is somewhat similar to the Bärbel in name. European distribution and appearance, but is much better eating! This fish belongs to the cod family, Gadidae.

I am convinced that it is the Bärbel which often appears in northern European heraldry, but the Burbot has been used at least once in a coat of arms. According to Moule (1842) the Burbot, which was once found in the Cam and several Norfolk rivers, was known as the 'Coney-fish' (so named because it hides in holes like a rabbit, i.e. the coney). The Coney-fish and the Coney appear in the arms of Richard, Bishop of Gloucester, who died in 1578. This was again a case of canting arms, but the pun on 'Cheney' and 'coney' is not a good one. Incidentally, in the same way the Suffolk family of Haseley have three hazel nuts in their arms.

In heraldic terms Bishop Cheney's arms were: Argent, on a chevron Azure, a Coney courant between two Burbot or Coney-fish hauriant of the field, on a chief chequy Argent and Azure, a Rose Gules. The details which concern us here being that a silver rabbit is running at füll speed between two silver Burbot erect with their heads uppermost on a blue chevron. The Bishop's arms also included those given to St. Peter, the patron saint of Gloucester Cathedral, i.e. two gold keys on a blue background.

I have been amazed to find how many species of fish appear in coats of arms - over 40, in addition to various other marine and freshwater creatures ranging from sea-urchins to scallops and to crabs.

References Collings, D. W. (1933). The fishesof Suffolk. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 2,104.

Heathcote, G. D . (1991). A fishy tale. The Blazon, No. 48, 25.

Heathcote, G. D. (1991). More heraldic fish, The Blazon, No. 48, 27.

Heathcote, G. D. (1992). Yet more heraldic fish: The Blazon, No. 50, 11.

Maitland, P. S. (1972). Key to British freshwater fishes. Ambleside, Freshwater Biological Association.

Pivnicka, K. & Cerny, K. (1987). Illustrated book of fishes, Octopus Books, Prague.

Dr G. D. Heathcote, 2, St. Mary's Square, Bury St. Edmunds, IP33 2AJ

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 29 (1993)