Barguest is usually seen in the form of a mastiff dog or bear with red eyes. This northern English creature haunts local people. It has glowing eyes like hot coals, horns and devilish fangs and it has been seen wrapped in chains or dragging chains. It is said to haunt the lands of Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire. Others have disputed that it that the Barguest was not a dog but was another creature. Other accounts have said it was a headless woman, a rabbit or a dog.
The mere sight of this dog would bring death or disaster. The Barguest attacks anything that comes in close proximity to it and will inflict a wound on you that will never heal. If someone of great significance was about to die, the Barguest would set all the dogs in the area howling.
The name Barguest means ‘Spirit of the Bier’ a word from the old Germanic language.