Back to Events
Devil's Footprints
Overnight, cloven hoof prints appeared in the snow across 100 miles of Devon. They went over roofs, through walls, across rivers. Nothing should have been able to make them. The prints stopped at no obstacle. What walked through England that night?
1855
Devon, England
1000+ witnesses
The Devil’s Footprints remain unexplained.
The Discovery
February 9, 1855:
- After snowfall
- Hoof prints appeared
- Across entire region
- 100+ miles
- Single file line
The Prints
What was seen:
- Cloven hoof shape
- 4 inches long
- 8 inches apart
- Perfect repetition
- Unnaturally consistent
The Path
Impossible route:
- Over rooftops
- Through walls
- Across rivers
- Over haystacks
- No deviation
The Panic
Public reaction:
- Devil walked England
- Mass hysteria
- Armed groups formed
- Churches packed
- Genuine fear
The Investigations
Explanations attempted:
- Escaped kangaroo
- Balloon trailing rope
- Badgers
- Mass hoax
- None satisfactory
The Mystery
Never solved:
- No single explanation fits
- Physical evidence existed
- Too extensive for hoax
- Too precise for animal
- Still debated