What Is a Ghost Dog?

Legends of sightings of ghostly black dogs have existed in Great Britain and America for centuries. The image was widely thought to be a bad tiding of impending doom. Variants of the black ghost dog have been portrayed in movies and books such as "The Hound of the Baskervilles," by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

History

A reported sighting of a black ghost dog dates from August 1577 in Bungay, Suffolk, England. A black dog is alleged to have appeared in the town church during a storm. The dog is believed to have run through the church causing fear and panic. Two people kneeling at prayer are thought to have died instantly when the dog passed them. A man nearby was severely burned, but is thought to have survived. The weather vane in Bungay Market commemorates the event by depicting the black dog over a flash of lightning.

Gallows

In England, criminals were often hung at crossroads. These sites were reported to be scenes of black dog sightings. The black dog was thought of as the spirit of the executed criminal. In 1751, an old woman was drowned for witchcraft in Tring, Hertfordshire and a local chimney sweep was found guilty for the unlawful killing. He was hanged near the scene of the crime. A black dog with flaming eyes was reportedly seen by the village schoolmaster at the scene of the gallows.

Guardians

In Scotland, black ghost dogs are seen as guardians of treasure. According to legend, a black dog was said to guard treasure buried under an ancient standing stone near Murthley in Perthshire.

References

• Mysterious Britain: Phantom Black Dogs
• Dark Dorset
• At the Edge: Black Dogs in Folklore