Dragon tales have long captured our imagination. One in particular I love is actually close to where we live at Filey Brigg, a well known beauty spot in Filey, North Yorkshire, England. The Brigg is a long promontory of rock just above sea level that extends almost a mile out to sea.
One story claims that the Brigg is the skeletal remains of a dragon that was killed by a tailor named Billy Biter.
Another story is that the Dragon would lie in the Gulley on the Brigg, this Gulley is a tidal inlet that runs down the spine of the Brigg and is open to the sea at its outer end. The villagers of Filey lured the Dragon with sticky cake and when he ate this, his jaws were stuck together and the villages killed him.
In 1934, a report was filed by a local Coastguard Wilkinson Herbert in which he says he saw a sea monster whilst walking on the beach at Filey. His report made the Daily Telegraph on 1 March 1934 stating:
“Suddenly I heard a growling like a dozen dogs ahead, walking nearer I switched on my torch and was confronted by a huge neck, six yards in front of me, rearing up 8ft. high! The head was a startling sight- huge eyes like saucers, glaring at me, the creatures mouth was a foot wide and neck would be a yard around. The monster appeared as startled as I was. Shining my torch along the ground I saw a body about 30ft. long. I thought this was no place for me and from a distance I threw stones at the creature. It moved away growling fiercely and I saw the huge black body had two humps on it and four short legs with huge flappers on them. I could not see any tail. It moved quickly, rolling from side to side, and went into the sea. From the cliff top I looked down and saw two eyes like torch lights shining out to sea 300 yards away. It was a most gruesome and thrilling experience. I have seen big animals abroad, but nothing like this.”
The Filey Dragon sighting is about the time of the reports of the Loch Ness monster and many other dragon stories and myths from around the coasts.
