Hurchin, Hurcheon or Hedgehog – Wildlife Needs a Hand
Hurchin, Hurcheon or Hedgehog –
Wildlife Needs a Hand
Now do you call it a hurcheon or a hedgehog? I’m a hedgehog man myself, but the lovely Old Norman word has a glamour the hog has not. However, the little beasties are going hungry and with the colder coming there will be more animals in need of a helping hand. The SPCA is asking for tinned dog food and sachet cat food to help feed orphaned hedgehogs, 150 of them in Clackmannanshire alone. The National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire has been inundated with the creatures. Last year Fishcross cared for 1,470 hedgehogs.
Old Origins
Hurcheon comes from the Old Northern French word ‘herichon’ and it first appears in the Dictionary of the Scots Language in and around1508 in Dunbar’s The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy. Although some people use the expression “hurchin” for the little gardener’s friends. I always like to see them around as they are a great indicator of how well the natural world is doing. Lots of them and it’s great and when there are very few of them it is worrying.
Our Hurchins
If you are a hedgehog fan like me then you might be interested in ourlovely porcelain offerings, including festive hedgehogs. One for Christmas and one the Holly Hedgehog. Christmas Hedgehog is the new addition to the Royal Crown Derby Giftware Collection. Adorned in beautiful evergreen sprigs of holly, ivy, mistletoe, pine and stunning poinsettia flowers. The colours add wonderful berry red and luscious green shades of colour to the beastie.
