Sir William Venables, of Bradwall - What is the symbolism behind the family crest showing a Wyvern eating a child?

Interesting question. I learned it is a wyvern, a type of dragon or winged viper.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyvern

The design of the wyvern is thought [by some] to have derived from the figure of the dragon encountered by Trajan's [Roman emperor] legions in Dacia. It may be the origin of the red dragon of Wales and the golden dragon of the Kingdom of Wessex carried at the Battle of Burford in AD 752.

The depiction of dragons representing Wales goes back centuries; as seen in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, when depicting Merlin's prophecy of the red dragon of Wales beating the white Anglo-Saxon dragon, they are seen to have two legs rather than the modern four legs that the current Welsh dragon possesses.

Since the 4th century, Welsh Kings and princes have carried with them this depiction of a dragon, each ruler changing its appearance from a Wyvern to a four-legged dragon.

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Another mythical creature associated with the same sort of symbolism is the biscione (grass snake), a historic symbol of the city of Milan, Italy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscione

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscione#/media/File:Wernigeroder_Wap...

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Venables of London, a wyvern wreathed gu. "Venabulis vinco."

Venables of Woodhill, Shropshire, (ditto)

Venables, Cheshire, a wyvern gu., issuing from a whilk-shell argent.

Venables, a wyvern passant gu., issuing from a weir argent.

Venables of Kinderton, Cheshire, a wyvern with wings addorsed gu., on a fish-weir devouring a child and pierced through the neck by an arrow all ppr.

Venables of Antrobus, Cheshire, a wyvern passant gu., issuant from a weir argent.

Venables, Ireland, a wyvern with wings elevated and tail nowed argent, beaked and legged or, swallowing an infant in swaddling clothes ppr., swaddled gu.

Venables of Agden and Horton, Cheshire, a demi-wyvern erect with wings elevated gu., issuing from a weir-basket erect or.

Venables of Andover, Hants., a dragon gu., issuing from a shell in fess argent.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000022476593&view=pa...

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I would assume this particular symbolism originated in Roman times and was meant to sort of brag (or warn) potential enemies about their military power. In other words, to instill and reinforce fear and respect for their political domination.

Thanks Debra, for the response and research! I had to look up Wyvern myself when I saw the description of the Venables arms. I suspect you are right about wanting a family crest that would instill fear, respect, or power. The family motto you found above is "Venables win", perhaps also a clue, and may support your hypothesis.

I've also bumped into at least one GGF who was said to have slayed a dragon, and so my other thought is that someone in the Venable family might have also done so, saving the community, and children, from death by Wyvern. I also noted in this branch that Sir William's grandson chose his mother's surname Leigh, to cement his claim to Leigh lands, but he chose to keep the Venables arms...so perhaps that Wyvern will show up in the family history as more important to the story at some point?

The observation that one of the family crests for Venables shows the Wyvern being pierced with an arrow, perhaps symbolizes the family hero per legend having slain the beastie?

That is a curious detail, I wish I knew what it meant. I found this, though:

"Sir Gilbert Venables, cousin german to William the Conqueror has been claimed as a native of Cheshire. In an old deed, dated 1560, this gentleman is credited with the following legend:

“A terrible dragon made his abode in the Lorde-shippe of Morton. (Thomas Venables) shott hym throwé with an arrowe and afterward with other weapons manfullie slew him, at which instant tyme the said dragon was devouringe of a child.

"For this legendary valour he obtained the lordship in question, and a dragon (since changed to a wyvern ) has been used ever since by his descendants as a crest."

"Border Counties Worthies" by Enoch Robert Gibbon Salisbury (1880), p. 267 (p. 270 of the pdf file).

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Border_Counties_Worthies/a28BA...

Thomas de Venables of Chester

https://venablesancestry.wordpress.com/introduction/the-first-three...

Mystery solved. Excellent intel Debra!

Now to find that Thomas Venables on my tree. Looks like his descendants used the dragon motif after him in the 16th century? So earlier use by the Venable family wouldn't be relevant. I think my 15th century Venables had changed their names to Leigh on the branch I'm working on.

In the late-thirteenth century a William Venables married an heiress of the Leghs of High
Legh and assumed that name and became the progenitor of a number of Legh families,
accordingly the Venables arms forms the basis of a number of Legh coats.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rowQftHK5MaS9v0s_ziAj-NRHrTFT2Hk/view
https://www.tonybostock.com/home/heraldry-articles

https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Bosto...

Thanks so much Heering! Most excellent info and sites for the Venables. Much appreciated