Hunting the Earl of Rone

Yesterday was the first of four days of celebration unique to the village of Combe Martin on the coast of North Devon. The Hunting of the Earl of Rone is an annual custom that supposedly marks the Earl of Tyrone fleeing from Ireland to Devon in 1607. However, its similarity to other festivals across the UK and Europe during May suggests that it has its roots in pre-Christian seasonal rites.

Over the four days of the Spring Bank Holiday weekend the ‘Earl of Rone hides in the village and surrounding woods. People dressed as Grenadiers, a Hobby Horse, a Fool and Mediaeval villagers hunt for him every day until he is captured on the Monday night. He is then mounted  'backsy-fore' (back-to-front) on a donkey and paraded through the village and down to the sea. Bizarrely, he is occasionally dismounted and shot by the grenadiers. However, he is then miraculously revived by the Hobby-horse and Fool, re-mounted on the donkey, and carried onwards to his fate. At the final shooting on the beach, he is not revived, but thrown into the sea.

Local legend says that he was Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, who was forced to flee from Ireland in 1607 and was shipwrecked in the local bay known as Raparee Cove. Hiding in the woods and surviving only on ships’ biscuits (which he wears around his neck), he was eventually captured by a party of Grenadiers sent from Barnstaple. There is no historical evidence that Hugh O’Neill ever landed in North Devon and history tells us that he actually reached Spain and lived out his life there, so why he should become the focus of the custom is a real mystery. 

But then, like a lot of folk customs, the truth really doesn't matter. Like so many other events - particulalrly in May - this is about a town celebrating itself. 

The custom is run by a council of villagers, but any local from Combe Martin, or the surrounding parishes of Berrynarbor, Trentishoe and Kentisbury, is welcome to dress up and join in. Visitors are also welcome to come to watch and enjoy the festivities but, as tradition demands, collections are made throughout the weekend and once costs have been covered, surplus money is donated to good causes in the village.

Long may it continue.