Fitz

In the shipping and fishing town of Whitby, the apparition was said to appear pacing up and down the shore during stormy weather, and was seen as an omen of doom for anyone taking to the sea that day, a sure sign to keep vessels safely in harbour and feet firmly on dry land. Interestingly, Stoker flipped this legend around to fit his story,

In the shipping and fishing town of Whitby, the apparition was said to appear pacing up and down the shore during stormy weather, and was seen as an omen of doom for anyone taking to the sea that day, a sure sign to keep vessels safely in harbour and feet firmly on dry land. Interestingly, Stoker flipped this legend around to fit his story,

In local lore, the Barghest portended a great storm, but in his novel, the storm was the omen preceding the calamitous arrival of the beast. You could say that Stoker's novel helped to immortalise the legend of the Barghest. But then, to be honest, it was doing pretty well on its own anyway.

In local lore, the Barghest portended a great storm, but in his novel, the storm was the omen preceding the calamitous arrival of the beast. You could say that Stoker's novel helped to immortalise the legend of the Barghest. But then, to be honest, it was doing pretty well on its own anyway.

Sightings of the creature are said to date back at least as far as Saxon England, with a mention in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and still persist to this day. In fact, a particularly curious encounter with the brute is documented just a few miles up the coast from Whitby at Kettle Ness Point. a landmark mentioned by Mina Murray in her diary entries in Dracula.

Sightings of the creature are said to date back at least as far as Saxon England, with a mention in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and still persist to this day. In fact, a particularly curious encounter with the brute is documented just a few miles up the coast from Whitby at Kettle Ness Point. a landmark mentioned by Mina Murray in her diary entries in Dracula.

It took place in the 1950s and was documented in a book called To Anger the Devil, a biography of Reverend Dr Donald Armand, a clergyman of the Church of England and an exorcist. The riverend had apparently received a letter from a schoolmaster who had been out with two friends at the desolate windswept point of Kettle Nest Nab where the rocky promontory juts out into the sea.

It took place in the 1950s and was documented in a book called To Anger the Devil, a biography of Reverend Dr Donald Armand, a clergyman of the Church of England and an exorcist. The riverend had apparently received a letter from a schoolmaster who had been out with two friends at the desolate windswept point of Kettle Nest Nab where the rocky promontory juts out into the sea.

In his letter the schoolmaster wrote that he and his friends were shocked and horrified to witness a huge hound appear out of thin air on the misty shore. Describing the beast as bigger than any mortal dog, they stood frozen in terror as it silently began to move towards them, and then suddenly and inexplicably vanished.

In his letter the schoolmaster wrote that he and his friends were shocked and horrified to witness a huge hound appear out of thin air on the misty shore. Describing the beast as bigger than any mortal dog, they stood frozen in terror as it silently began to move towards them, and then suddenly and inexplicably vanished.

The group discussed feeling an overwhelming sense of evil, leading to the schoolmaster contacting the reverend to ask if he would visit the area and consider performing an exorcism. Reverend Omand was apparently only too happy to oblige. He had actually visited Kettle Nest before as a youth, and on that visit had felt what he thought of as an ominous atmosphere.

The group discussed feeling an overwhelming sense of evil, leading to the schoolmaster contacting the reverend to ask if he would visit the area and consider performing an exorcism. Reverend Omand was apparently only too happy to oblige. He had actually visited Kettle Nest before as a youth, and on that visit had felt what he thought of as an ominous atmosphere.

He felt vindicated in this when he later heard reports of the bar guest being seen in the area and even more so when he read Bram Stoker's Dracula and realised the Count's form as a black dog was inspired by the Yorkshire Coast's bar guest. In fact, he even became convinced that Stoker must have visited Thethilness and witnessed the apparition for himself.

He felt vindicated in this when he later heard reports of the bar guest being seen in the area and even more so when he read Bram Stoker's Dracula and realised the Count's form as a black dog was inspired by the Yorkshire Coast's bar guest. In fact, he even became convinced that Stoker must have visited Thethilness and witnessed the apparition for himself.

Amand obligingly headed out to Kettle Nest by train, and after meeting up with the schoolmaster, the pair headed out to the rocky nab, arriving just as night was falling. The shore rapidly becoming cloaked in darkness, the scene well and truly set for a frightening encounter with the legendary creature. Both men were alert and expectant. Oman choked.

Amand obligingly headed out to Kettle Nest by train, and after meeting up with the schoolmaster, the pair headed out to the rocky nab, arriving just as night was falling. The shore rapidly becoming cloaked in darkness, the scene well and truly set for a frightening encounter with the legendary creature. Both men were alert and expectant. Oman choked.

All we need now is for Dracula to come bounding ashore in the form of a great black dog. He probably intended to break the building tension with some humour, but instead his words seemed to have the effect of summoning the beast itself, and as Oman felt the schoolmaster grip his arm in sudden fear, he looked up to see a huge black hound heading straight towards them.

All we need now is for Dracula to come bounding ashore in the form of a great black dog. He probably intended to break the building tension with some humour, but instead his words seemed to have the effect of summoning the beast itself, and as Oman felt the schoolmaster grip his arm in sudden fear, he looked up to see a huge black hound heading straight towards them.

The reverend described it as being bigger than any of the canine species known to man, fitting with so many accounts of Shuck and the Barghest that often compare the size of the creature to that of a calf or even a small horse. The schoolmaster, understandably, lost his nerve and rushed back to the car. But Oman stood his ground, uncorked his bottle of holy water and proceeded with his exorcism.

The reverend described it as being bigger than any of the canine species known to man, fitting with so many accounts of Shuck and the Barghest that often compare the size of the creature to that of a calf or even a small horse. The schoolmaster, understandably, lost his nerve and rushed back to the car. But Oman stood his ground, uncorked his bottle of holy water and proceeded with his exorcism.