The Black Shuck Mystery Solved?

Has the mystery of the phantom black dog of Suffolk , England (the legendary "Black Shuck") finally been solved?

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reveals the startling discovery of the skeleton of an immense hound, right in the very area, no less.

It's an article you can find here, and which begins like this:

"It roamed the countryside spreading death and terror – a giant, ferocious hell-hound with flaming eyes and savage claws.

"For centuries, the beast that came to be known as Black Shuck struck fear into the hearts of all who crossed its path.

"Just a single glimpse was enough to impart a fatal curse; the briefest encounter sufficient to suck the life from any hapless victim."

Mysterious Universe - 2

And here's how my second Mysterious Universe article of today begins...

"Imagine the scene: it’s late one cold, dark, winter’s eve in a little old hamlet in central England. You’re walking home, along a winding, tree-shrouded old road with only the light of an eerie full moon to illuminate your path. But, as you continue on your trek to your centuries-old cottage, you begin to feel uneasy.

"For reasons that you are unable to fathom, as the icy wind sends a deep chill through your body, you develop the distinct feeling that you are not alone. Rather, you sense that you are being watched and followed by something terrible, something malignant, something nightmarish, and something as ancient as it is mysterious."

The subject? Britain's ghostly, blazing-eyed, phantom black dogs...

Smugglers and Strange Creatures

And another new post from me at Mysterious Universe, which begins...

"Just recently, I had a fascinating conversation with a fellow researcher of so-called “British Bigfoot” reports - which is a particular and favorite area of investigation for me, and which was the subject of my 2012 book, Wildman. It turns out that he has been studying a number of stories relative to hairy 'wild men,' cannibalistic sub-humans, and other, similar, horrific humanoids reported in the English county of Devon way back in the 1600s and the 1700s. In doing so he has uncovered something very interesting and eye-opening.

"If I sound just a little bit mysterious here, it’s because my colleague in question is preparing a major paper on all of this, hence why – right now – I’m being more than fairly vague about his identity. His paper should, however, appear in a major periodical before the end of this year. And, no, I’m not blowing any whistles by telling you the basics of the story. He’s cool with it."

A Black Dog of the Phantom Kind

Over at New Page Books' blog, there's a hell hound on the loose...

The Ghostly Black Dogs of Cornwall

 

 

Stories of ghostly black dogs from Britain of centuries-past have long fascinated me, which is why it's very good to see a new article on this subject from good friend, Kithra.

 

Specifically, Kithra focuses on those blazing-eyed hounds from her native English county of Cornwall, a place rich in myth, folklore and legend.

 

She says:

 

"The local name that the Cornish have for these creatures is Dando's Dogs, or Dandy Dogs. As in many other places, it is believed that to hear them baying is a sign of imminent disaster. And, should you actually see them then you will meet a sudden death. The name itself arises from the tale of a dissolute priest called Dando, and many believe that they only appear on a Sunday.

 

"The story of Dando is one where he sells his soul to the Devil. As generally told Dando was a priest at the old priory church in St Germans, and he was a great sinner who enjoyed all the pleasures of life that priests weren't supposed to indulge in. This included hunting, even on a Sunday, and while doing so he continued his love of drink to the point of disregarding crops and fences as his hounds and henchmen followed him wherever the prey went. Yet he was loved by his parishioners as, being such a sinner himself, he always forgave then their own sins."

 

And here's where you can find the complete article.

 

 

Cryptids at Mysterious Universe

Over at Mysterious Universe, there are no less than three new posts today on Cryptozoology.

There's this one from me, on England's Shug-Monkey;

One on Big Cats in Australia from Andrew Nicholson;

And, finally, another one from me on Britain's blazing-eyed, phantom hounds.

Hell-Hounds on the Loose

"Imagine the scene: it’s late one cold, dark, winter’s eve in a little old hamlet in central England. You’re walking home, along a winding, tree-shrouded old road with only the light of an eerie full moon to illuminate your path. But, as you continue on your trek to your centuries-old cottage, you begin to feel uneasy.

 

"For reasons that you are unable to fathom, as the icy wind sends a deep chill through your body, you develop the distinct feeling that you are not alone. Rather, you sense that you are being watched and followed by something terrible, something malignant, something nightmarish, and something as ancient as it is mysterious.

 

"Then something truly ominous occurs: you begin to hear the vague sound of panting – animalistic panting, no less – and the unmistakable sound of heavy, beastly paws hitting the road behind you. A terrible realization suddenly hits you hard: you are being followed, or stalked, by some sort of large, predatory animal. It’s an animal that – even though you have yet to see it up close and personal – you know deep in your heart has you firmly in its sights."

 

That's how my new Lair of the Beasts article at Mania.com starts - on Britain's legendary and spectral black dogs...

 

 

When Cryptids and ET Clash

What do phantom black dogs with blazing red eyes have in common with UFOs? Rendlesham Forest...

The Phantom Black Dog: Q&A

Over at The Examiner, you can find a brand new Q&A with me on one of Britain's most enduring mysteries: Phantom Black Dogs.

To give you an idea of the Q&A, here's one of the exchanges:

Question: "What exactly do you think these demon dogs are paranormally speaking per say?"

Nick Redfern: "I can only speculate, but there can be no denying that many researchers and witnesses to the Phantom Black Dogs note how they seem to appear around the time of death and misfortune. And, of course, they are often seen in the vicinity of cemeteries. That's to say they have a Grim Reaper quality to them. Even today, it's perceived as being quite ominous and unsettling to see one of these things. It doesn't take long for the old legends, myths and fears to take hold again, even in the 21st Century."

Hell-Hounds on the Loose

There's a new article from me at Mysterious Universe on dogs in England. Nope, not normal, ordinary, friendly little dogs. These are those sinister, blazing-eyed ones that hang out late at night at old bridges, crossroads, lanes and cemeteries. Yep: Phantom Black Dogs!

Throw a stick and shout "Fetch!" at these guys and they will tear your head off!

Those Damned Dogs!

This weekend's Lair of the Beasts column from me at Mania.com focuses on one of Britain's oldest and most legendary of all strange creatures: the glowing-eyed black dog.

I start out like this:

"For centuries, the ghostly Black Dog, or Devil Dog, has been an integral part of British folklore and mythology, as well as the world of monster-hunting. Generally described as being much larger than any normal hound, its coat is utterly black, its eyes blaze like fiery, red-hot coals, and its appearance and presence is often perceived as an ominous portent of disaster, tragedy, and death. In other words, the Black Dog of Britain is the grim reaper in animal form."

And here's the complete post.