Black Shuck, The devil dog - A local legend.

I'm writing this as I think many people would find it fairly interesting.

Black Shuck is known throughout my part of the world (Suffolk/Norfolk) as a Demon. The devil dog. The myths and legends that surrounds this entity invoke fear and terror, if you believe in these tales or not, the stories are very disturbing. In some cases reported to be the size of a large horse, with "saucers" for eyes, this isn't your average household pet.

The most famous account of Black Shuck is probably the case of Blythburgh 04 August 1577. Whilst the locals attended a normal church service, the estranged devil dog clawed the door down (the "claw mark" can still be seen today) and killed around 15 people. Including the Priest.

Blythburgh church:


The claw mark:
fc09.deviantart.net...

The Blythburgh story does not end there, in the marshes (in which Black Shuck has been reported many times) surrounding the church, a builder was working in 1973. A loud panting sound was heard, as if the Shuck himself was standing right next to his side, as the builder looked around to try and sight the loud, excessive panting creature, the sound disappeared and there was nothing to be seen.

The Shucks entity comes in many different sizes:

'Me and my friend were walking along Gunton cliff on a misty night. We saw a black dog with glowing yellow eyes running on its hind legs, towards the park which we were walking from. It paused and looked at us, before it carried on running towards the park. (The creature) had large eyes the size of coffee mugs, but it had a tiny head compared to its body and eyes, it stood around 7 foot tall and ran and stood on its hind legs...'

A rare witness account of the "modern day" Shuck. It is said, if you look into its eyes, someone close to you dies tragically within the year.

The east coast of England isn't the only area in which Hell Hounds have been spotted, the ghoulish devil dogs have been spotted throughout the UK, and throughout history. For example, the Yeth hound of southern England, or the Welsh Gwyllgi are all famous local legends.


Shucks, be they real or just a figment of imagination, or folk tales are interesting creatures none the less. The stories behind them usually quite frighting and disturbing. White Hounds are often sighted around these parts too, often considered protective over humans. Sometimes, people are even protected for life by these entities.


Further sightings and readings:

www.paranormaldatabase.com...


I hope you enjoyed the read!

reply to post by VraxUK


i am not sure what to fully think of the black dog occurances, what exactly they are supposed to be some seem more like neutral spirts(dont really do much other than exist) some like you mention with what happend at the church do seem dangerous and have kille people.

the interesting thing is they kmay also have some connection to aliens
if you read nick redferns three men seeking monsters it tells about how after the ufo landing in rendlesham several odd creatures were sighted in the area including black dogs that just appear,
so its really confusing, ghosts,demons, aliens who knows what else

reply to post by connorromanow



I believe highly that the spiritual world, being ghosts, Hell Hounds etc, are possibly all linked to ET's. A lot of sightings of ET's on Leylines (spirit roads) have been recorded.

I think there's a hidden science in which we cannot fully understand at this moment of time. And I do believe its a science. But like most sciences, before they were explained, mysticism and religious propaganda took hold.

reply to post by VraxUK


on these ley line points there are often sightings of these creatures like aliens and black dogs,
hopefuly we will know one day, but it could be a long time

Is this him?

Devil dog

Extremely interesting story. Seen the same forces applied to this church in Mikulov, CZ
Scratch marks on the door. Also seen a lot of unexplainable bend metal on the way up there.

reply to post by FriendlyGopher


Indeed there's a few stories even globally speaking of these Hell hounds! Possibly tools of fear used by a higher power?

Interesting.

Is the Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles based on this legend?

Originally posted by Grey Magic
Interesting.

Is the Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles based on this legend?

I actually think the Hound of the Baskervilles is based on a Cornish legend. The Beast of Bodmin Moore, but that's an ABC (Alien Big Cat). Though, as I said, these stories occur EVERYWHERE throughout the UK. Its really quite strange.

Very Interesting, especially to me, Im from Ireland, but my mother's english (from west midlands), and when I was growing up my grandmother told me stories about the black shuck, one of the most frightening I can remember was about a man she knew, who was sick in hospital, she told me that when she was visiting him, a black dog somehow got inside and ran into the room this man was in and sat under his bed growling, apparently the nurse told my grandmother it was the devil dog who came to take this man's soul, who was dead in the morning. That story freaked me out for years man!

reply to post by tastycakes


Well, I've heard many stories of it "taking souls" and what not. Being a local Suffolk lad they're rife round here!

According to one legend, Black Shuck was said to have walked out of a cliff in Southwold, near Lowestoft, and Blythburgh, with hooves ( much like the devil) and standing on its rear legs. Apparently, the two fishermen that witnessed this died a year later.

Here is a wiki entry for hellhound...

I read an article a few years ago in Fortean Times which explored black dogs. There are many different local names for them all over the UK.

As I recall the article also went into many place names that relate to black dogs, right now I can't recall any specific locations, but there are many country lanes and hills that have names relating to legend.

reply to post by Chewlip


Indeed. The Paranormal Database has over 330 sightings and reports alone. Recorded from when the vikings were around, till contemporary times.


As I said previously, possible an ET tool in order to terrorize western religion?

wow iv been waiting ages for a post about this to pop up and it has to be the only time my laptop breaks . i live about 4 miles from there and i have seen black shuck along with 3 of my friends trying to scare ourselves and it worked would love to go more into it but am on my phone and i would take ages to type

Originally posted by Ellis1990
wow iv been waiting ages for a post about this to pop up and it has to be the only time my laptop breaks . i live about 4 miles from there and i have seen black shuck along with 3 of my friends trying to scare ourselves and it worked would love to go more into it but am on my phone and i would take ages to type

Haha, I myself live around there (as I stated I think), elaborate if you can! Witness sightings are VERY rare!

have any of these ever been caught in pictures or anything? it would be really interesting to see if they have

Originally posted by JROCK2527
have any of these ever been caught in pictures or anything? it would be really interesting to see if they have

No, my main theory is, if they were to be real, is that they share the same characteristics of a ghost.

The Bell witch of TN was sometimes seen as a large black dog as well. Reading one of my local ghost stories there was an account of a black dog/hellhound interrupting a revival back in the early 1800's. Clawing the door and such.

reply to post by VraxUK


It was actually based on the legend of Black Shuck, after Conan Doyle had heard the legend while on a trip to Norfolk.

Another place of note, linked to the black dog legends, is Wistmans Wood on Dartmoor in Devon. A pack of these blighters is said to roam this area. Other legends say it is Woden (Odin) with his Hounds on a wild hunt.

a reply to: VraxUK

Hey I've been reading about these dogs because I was visited the other night on Tuesday evening. Then my grandma was visited last night by the dog. It just revealed itself to us through scratching and shaking like an actual wet dog.. Absolutely creepy factor ... I'm a very spiritual being that just had the holy spirit speak through me on Tuesday during the day then the demon dog came Tuesday night ... I don't know what to think .. Kinda freakin a bit.. I know this is an older thread so have no idea if you're still around or not ... Much peace ...