There are so many reasons to love the Halloween season, especially when it comes to researching mythical monsters. Tracing the origins of mythical beasts in books and film is among one of my favorite things to research. Here are a few you may recognize.

 

Mythical Monsters in Books and Film

 

Black Shuck

 

The first of our mythical monsters is the Hellhound or the Black Shuck. This ghostly black dog wanders around the East of England, usually on the coastlines of Norfolk and Suffolk. Watch out for his glowing red eyes, and sharp claws which he used to mark the church door in Blythburgh. Black Shuck is commonly known as a harbinger of misfortune, so if you see him beware!

 

Where to Find this Monster: This wild dog beast can be found in its original form as the ‘Hellhound’ most recently in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

 

creatures in England
Fluffy the Harry Potter Hell Hound

 

The Lantern Man

 

In the fens of Eastern England, if you’re out after dark then beware. The Lantern Man is a variation of will-o’-the-wisps.

It is said—though by who is a bit of a mystery—that on certain days for certain travelers in certain parts of the world, little lights dance on the horizon, whispering tempting invitations… pledging the answers to lifelong questions, the realization of dreams, a key to secret treasures—a change of fate.
 
Charmed and curious, unsuspecting travelers follow the floating lights, mesmerized by their whispers, their promises. Yet no matter how long or how fervently they follow, they never quite touch the beautiful beacons whose flickering lights eventually fade and disappear… leaving the inquisitors, the dreamers and the treasure seekers lost… and alone.

Both are trails of ghostly light which, if followed, will lead to peril. The Lantern Man is specifically drawn to the sound of whistling, and his trail of lights lures victims into the treacherous marshes.

Where to Find this Monster: The Pixar film Brave, which is set in Scotland, features trails of ghostly lights. They lead the main protagonist, Merida, to her fate.

 

The Will-o’-the-Wisps Clip from Pixar

 

 

Herne the Hunter

In Windsor Forest in Berkshire, there is an oak tree. It was here that a hunter named Herne supposedly hanged himself after he was cursed to lose his hunting skills. Herne’s restless spirit returned to have revenge upon those who plotted his