Ghost hunting in Leiston Abbey and two members of the team have a spooky encounter!

Another successful investigation completed. We spoke to local pupils who told us about one particular area in the abbey where strange knockings and voices are heard at night. Searches of the area have always failed to provide a rational explanation!

Two members of the team had a strange encounter with 'something' just off the ruins of the Chapter House. We had just finished filming and were taking a few pictures for this website. Suddenly, a black shape the size of a dog appeared from nowhere as they were discussing the day's events. It rushed passed them and vanished into a wall! Unfortunately, I was walking in front and so missed it! So what was it? Could it have been Black Shuck, the legendary ghost dog that is said to haunt East Anglia?

Black Shuck is common in East Anglia and there are recorded sightings of the ghostly dog dating back centuries. Shuck may derive from the Old English word scucca meaning "demon", or even possibly from the local dialect word shucky meaning "shaggy" or "hairy". Black Shuck is sometimes referred to as the Doom Dog, or "Grim".

Black Shuck from an old woodcut

I have checked local records and can find no record of any 'Shuck' sightings at the abbey. However, I did find an account of a similar sighting from nearby Leiston Church. Lady Rendlesham, in the early part of the 20th century, witnessed a ghostly dog in the churchyard. It leapt over the low churchyard wall, and disappeared towards the sand hills.

Here's the film.

The Felixstowe website can be found at http://www.felixstowetv.co.uk/