Well, I did say that in my personal opinion, the so-called Beast of Dartmoor was a large dog - despite the fact that some of the photos looked odd, to say the least. And, as this new story demonstrates, the theory that the creature was a domestic dog, after all - albeit one of a very large size - has been firmly embraced by Britain's media. As the story also demonstrates, however, not everyone is in agreement.
What's interesting, however, is the theory that "the beast" was nothing more than a mis-identified Newfoundland dog; since the link between Newfoundland dogs and the phantom black dogs of British folklore also turns up in my interview with Mark North - co-author of the new book Dark Dorset - that I conducted only days before this new development in the Beast of Dartmoor story surfaced.
Regards the Dartmoor pictures. These were first reported to BCIB by the witness before they hit the press or anywhere else. At the ouset BCIB suggested that this was a dog, and a Newfounland, long before the Newfoundland and her owner were found. There was no mystery as far as BCIB was conerned about this.
ReplyDeleteMerrily Harpur used the story in Fortean Times, then the Daily Mail got hold of it, then suddenly it was around the world. Long after we had decided what the source was.
Interestingly Hound Tor, where the picture was taken has long had a tradition of phantom dogs.
Regards the Dartmoor pictures. These were first reported to BCIB by the witness before they hit the press or anywhere else. At the ouset BCIB suggested that this was a dog, and a Newfounland, long before the Newfoundland and her owner were found. There was no mystery as far as BCIB was conerned about this.
ReplyDeleteMerrily Harpur used the story in Fortean Times, then the Daily Mail got hold of it, then suddenly it was around the world. Long after we had decided what the source was.
Interestingly Hound Tor, where the picture was taken has long had a tradition of phantom dogs.
Mark
ReplyDeleteCheers for this. Very interesting. Have you read Mark North's "Dark Dorset" book (the up-dated, newly published edition)?
That includes a section on how Newfoundland dogs could have been the source of the old Black Dog legends too, as Mark has uncovered data re how the were brough over from Canada centuries ago and got entangled in local legends (as well as smuggler's tales to keep people away from smuggling areas).
Nick
Nick could you delete my double posts, been having trouble with logging on, apologies.
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't read it but I will do shall purchase a copy soon.
Mark