Black Shuck, a huge hell-hound with burning eyes, is said to haunt the coast and countryside of East Anglia. In Suffolk, the legend stretches back to the 16th century, when the Bungay Black Dog made its first infamous visit to the area.
On Sunday, August 4, 1577, the terrified parishioners of St Mary’s Church in the town were sheltering from a devastating storm, with darkness, hail, thunder and lightning. The Rev Abraham Fleming described what happened next in his essay A Straunge and Terrible Wunder, telling how 'this black dog, or the divel in such a likenesse' appeared and wrung the necks of two worshippers.
The same day, the great dog struck again at Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh, appearing as a clap of thunder burst the doors open. The shaggy hound, whose name is thought to be taken from an Old English word for demon, 'succa', created more terror and chaos, and left long black claw marks burnt into the surface of the door of Blythburgh Church. Known locally as 'the devil’s fingerprints,' the scorch marks can be seen to this day.
Many more sightings of the spectral dog have been reported around the region over the centuries, including a sighting amid the ruins of Greyfriars Priory in Dunwich in 1926.
While wandering through the paintings and other collections at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, have you ever noticed a Victorian lady in a grey gown or a young woman in Edwardian dress? Many people have reported mysterious sightings at the historic home, long thought of as one of Suffolk’s most haunted houses.
Sightings include those of a young woman who appears to be between her late 20s and early 30s, who is said to be wearing Edwardian dress and is seen dancing and laughing with two children in the area of the upstairs art gallery. She is believed to be a maid who lived and worked in the mansion with her two children. It is said that her hair is piled on top of her head, and she is seen twirling with the youngsters, as if playing Ring of Roses.
Other sightings include a Victorian lady wearing a grey gown who rushes past visitors and then disappears. A young servant girl has also been seen wandering through the grand hallways. It is believed she is a restless spirit, said to be roaming between worlds to find peace after her untimely and violent demise in the house.
Ghost tours of Bury St Edmunds
If you are looking for a chilling tour of our area, the answer could be the Ghostly and Macabre Tours of Bury St Edmunds, being run by the town’s tour guides from Halloween to March 2025.
Lasting 90 minutes, the tours start from Moyse’s Hall Museum, with its memorabilia of the Red Barn Murder. The tour guide then leads through the darkened streets, with stories of screaming skulls, mysterious ‘monk’ like figures appearing in cellars, burnings, hangings and more.
The tour finishes up in the dark and deserted Great Churchyard where the tour guides will recall the stories from the Abbey and the famous Grey Lady.
To book, visit burystedmundstourguides.org.
