WHO LET T’DOGS OUT?
By Mike Covell, t’Yorkshire Historian
THE GHOST DOGS OF YORKSHIRE
linked to stories of harm and even death. Across the UK the names of these dogs change from region to region, including names such as Barguist, Black Shuck, Black Shock, Grim, Gytrash, Old Shuck, Padfoot, Shag, Shuck, Shock, Shrieker, Striker, Trash, Yeth Hound, and Wisht Hounds.
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“It’s chuffin’ roastin’ out.”
hen we think of spectral dogs, and phantom hounds, the first thought would be of The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, yet when we go back through history there are many stories of spectral hounds that roam the countryside. In fact, Bram Stoker included a mysterious black dog in his book Dracula and stated that it was seen running up the 199 steps towards St. Mary’s Church and Whitby Abbey. Some years ago, when I was enlisted in an investigation of the infamous “Beast of Barmston Drain,” which the media took it upon themselves to name “Old Stinker,” I was asked whether the sightings of the strange creature could be ghostly, given that Yorkshire has many ghost stories involving strange dogs. Fascinated by this theory I began researching these stories and compiling a long list of the locations and legends attached to them. These creatures are said to be shapeshifters, and are often associated with the Devil, often being described as “hell hounds.” They are most often reported in rural areas, and are common around crossroads, places of execution, and old ancient pathways such as ley lines and cursus. It is unclear when the stories began with influences coming from various cultures in European mythology, Celtic mythology, and Germanic mythology. In Greek Mythology they had Cerburus, in Norse mythology they had Garmr, and in Welsh mythology they had Cwn Annwn. Many stories connect the black dogs to the underworld, claiming that they are guardians. Some stories go even further, with tales of the Barghest and Black Shuck being directly
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A684 NORTHALLERTON TO LEEMING BAR The A684 that runs between Leeming Bar, in the west, and Northallerton, in the east, is said to be haunted. The road between the two is approximately 5.1 miles / 8.2 km and takes an average of 8 minutes to drive along, taking the driver over Scruton Stell, the River Swale, through Morton-on-Swale and past Ainderby Steeple, before it crosses over the River Wiske into Northallerton. It is said that the road is haunted by a mysterious black dog. A lady travelling between the two locations along the road saw the creature jump out in front of her vehicle, she slammed on, expecting to hit something, and the passenger watched on in horror, as the dog seemingly went through the bonnet. They noticed that the creature had no facial features but had large floppy ears and was “shadow like.” It was later said that when the car arrived at its destination, the occupants told a friend, a male, what they had seen, and he later committed suicide, leading them to believe it was a portent showing them that something was about to happen.
“That ruddy whippet ‘as took me cap down snicket!”
Haunted Magazine
