The History of The Black Shuck
The Norfolk legend of ‘Black Shuck’ is one of the oldest in England. A huge hound with blazing eyes, his name is derived from the Anglo Saxon word for demon. He haunts the coastal path between Sheringham and Overstrand – in fact, Black Shuck appeared on Overstrand’s old village sign.
Locals talk of how the beast is often heard before he is seen. Anyone who turns around
at the sound of his heavy paws and meets his fiery gaze is said to die within a 12-
There have been many documented sightings of Black Shuck. In 1890, after a young boy was rescued from the sea, he spoke of being forced to swim further and further from the shore by a huge black dog. During the 1920s and 1930s the fishermen of Sheringham reported hearing a terrifying howling on the clifftops during stormy nights and in 1970 Black Shuck made the headlines when a huge hound was seen pounding over the beach at Great Yarmouth.
Black Shuck remains a most mysterious and enigmatic beast. Many a tale has been told of him around the fire on a cold and moonless night in a Norfolk pub, but few are brave enough to seek him out for themselves. Do you dare to find him?