The Mysterious Origins of the Peculiar Fanged Vampire Rabbit Above an Ornate Doorway in Newcastle

Lori Dorn
October 29, 2026

British video essayist Peter Austin investigated the mysterious origins of a peculiar, fanged rabbit carving perched above an incredibly ornate doorway in Newcastle upon Tyne. Austin examined numerous theories, drawing on the surrounding historical landmarks and local legends, to explore why such an enigmatic creature was installed above the door of a building that dates back to 1901.

The many theories of why Newcastle has a vampire rabbit statue.

Austin previously looked into why armed rabbits appeared so often in Medieval illuminated manuscripts.

Why Armed Rabbits Appeared So Often in Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts

Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.