The Devil’s Footprints

On the morning of February 9, 1855, residents of South Devon awoke to find a single track of cloven hoof prints in the fresh snow. The track stretched approximately 100 miles, over rooftops, across rivers, through walls, and across seemingly impossible terrain.

The Discovery

After a heavy snowfall, the prints were discovered across a wide area of Devon. They appeared to be made by a cloven hoof, about four inches long. The track was continuous, never doubling back, proceeding in a straight line regardless of obstacles.

The Route

The prints crossed the River Exe, appeared on rooftops, went through hayricks, and passed over walls. Whatever made them seemed able to walk through solid obstacles. The track maintained perfect spacing throughout its entire length.

The Theories

Contemporary explanations included escaped kangaroos, experimental balloons, and various animals. None adequately explained the distance, the impossible route, or the uniformity of the prints. Religious locals believed the Devil himself had walked through Devon that night.

The Panic

Churches were filled as terrified residents sought divine protection. Armed parties searched for the creature responsible. Some refused to leave their homes after dark for weeks.

Assessment

The Devil’s Footprints remain unexplained over 160 years later. No natural phenomenon accounts for a 100-mile track across impossible terrain. Something walked through Devon that winter night, and we still don’t know what.