Raymond
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The Devil's FootprintsThe mysterious footprints, which appeared overnight in heavy snowfall in Southern Devon in 1855, have never been adequately explained. According to contemporary reports, they stretched for over a hundred miles, and went through solid walls and haystacks, appearing on the other side as though there was no barrier.
On the night of the 8th of February 1855, heavy snowfall blanketed the countryside and small villages of Southern Devon.
The last snow is thought to have fallen around midnight, and between this time and around 6.00am the following morning, something left a myriad of tracks in the snow, stretching for a hundred miles or more, from the River Exe, to Totnes on the river Dart.
The early risers were the first to find them, strange 'hoof-shaped' prints in straight lines, passing over rooftops, through walls and covering huge areas of land. A set of the prints were even supposed to have bridged a two mile span of the river Exe, continuing on the other side as if the creature had walked over the water.
It soon became clear that the phenomenon was widespread, and some of the more scientifically minded examined the prints in detail. One naturalist sketched some of the marks, and measured the distance between them, it was found to be eight and a half inches.
This spacing seemed to be consistant wherever the tracks were measured. It was also noted that the way in which they were set out, one in front of the other, suggested a biped rather than a creature walking on four legs.
Some clergymen suggested that the prints belonged to the Devil, who was roaming the countryside in search of sinners, while others rejected the idea as superstition. It is true that a feeling of unease had spread through some of the population, who watched carefully to see if the strange footprints would return.
They did not and after a couple of days the news spread out of Devon and made the national press. The phenomena sparked correspondence in some of the leading papers including the Times and the Illustrated news.
It seems that most of the Southern villages of Devon, from Totnes to Topsham, had been inundated with the prints in all manner of absurdities. Some stopped abruptly and continued after a large break, others stopped at walls as high as 14 feet, only to continue on the other side, leaving untouched snow on the top of the wall. Some were even said to have travelled through narrow apertures such as drainpipes.
The papers picked up that some kangaroos had escaped from a private Zoo belonging to a Mr Fische at Sidmouth, but the tracks description bears no resemblance to the tracks a kangaroo would leave.
Sir Richard Owen, the eminent Biologist, suggested that the tracks were made by badgers, roaming the countryside in search of food. He explained the strange shape of the prints as the result of freeze-thaw action. This explanation only holds as much ground as the other theories given at the time, these included roaming racoons, rats, swans, otters and the theory that a hot air balloon passed over head trailing a rope.
The Devil's footprints remain an intriguing mystery that may stand a chance of being solved if the phenomenon happens again and can be examined more closely.
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Waffle King
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How interesting, Cheers Raymond 
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Raymond
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No problem WK. 
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evergreen
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Raymond are these tales??? or rather where do you get them form they are rather fascinating these should be used instead of fair tales to get kids thinking 
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Raymond
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These are "real" mysteries EG, by "real" I mean they actually happened 'in real life', and no explanations have ever been found.
I've collected books and magazines on these kind of stories practically all my life.
I find it fascinating how we live in a world where we think we know everything and suddenly things like this pop up and suddenly we realise that we don't know a thing.
I also love them because they are little reminders of my beliefs and the way I live my life.
No matter how many gadgets we invent or how many clever answers we come up with we will never be more powerful than nature, we will never fully understand this world or the way she works and we will NEVER be able to control her.
Just as it should be.
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david hobbs
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Ain't that the truth!
We can pontificate for as long as we choose on all subjects under the Sun, puff out out chests with indignation when others don't seem to understand that we know everything, but then nature comes along and tweaks our noses.
I work on the basis that the Elements were here first so we are mere passing visitors.
Luv this section.
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Raymond
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I aim to please.
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