Fantastic mythical beasts and where to find them
From a Wildman at Belsay Hall to sphinxes at Chiswick House, you can find a whole host of mythical monsters at our sites across the country. Read on to find out more about them, and then download our special map to help you on your monster-hunting quest!
The Wildman at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens
You’d think that anyone would be spooked by the thought of a giant, hairy man carrying a tree wandering around their home. But the Middleton family who owned Belsay Hall in Northumberland adopted this mythical Wildman as their symbol – you can find him on their crest, carved above the castle’s entrance and as a statue.
The giants at Stokesay Castle
Long ago, two giants shared a great treasure that was kept in a chest locked with a golden key at Stokesay Castle in Shropshire. The giants lived on either side of the valley and used to throw the key to each other. But one day the key landed in the castle’s moat – never to be seen again. Why not complete the family trail on your next visit to see if you can hunt down the lost key?
Wyverns at Wrest Park
Wyverns look a lot like dragons but they have two legs rather than the usual four. To see one for yourself, head to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, where you can see two of them in the coat of arms of the de Grey family, who built the house. There’s also a statue of a wyvern in the kitchen garden. Look carefully and you can also find them around the house.
Sphinxes at Chiswick House
The mythical Greek sphinx was believed to be a wise creature who guarded knowledge. At Chiswick House in London, you’ll find a pair of them flanking the gates, keeping a watchful eye on everyone who enters. Head inside and you’ll see another one sculpted from lead, sitting in the Lower Link building.
Pegasus and a Chimera at Lullingstone Roman Villa
In Greek mythology, the hero Bellerophon rode his winged horse Pegasus and defeated a monstrous chimera – a creature made up of parts of different animals. If you head to Lullingstone Roman Villa you can see the story in one of the villa’s mosaics, created from thousands of tiny tiles.
A Dragon in the Heraldic Shield at St Mawes Castle
The dragon is the symbol of Wales. It is used to represent the Welsh ancestry of Henry VIII as part of his heraldic symbol at St Mawes Castle, one of many coastal forts created by the king. On it, the dragon of Wales and the lion of England are supporting a shield decorated with Henry VIII’s royal coat of arms.
A Chinthe on the Chindit Memorial
The chinthe is a guardian lion from Myanmar, where it’s often found at the entrances to Buddhist pagodas and temples. But you can also see it on the Chindit Memorial in London. This commemorates the Chindit Special Forces, a military regiment from Myanmar who fought with Britain against Japan during the Second World War.
A Griffin at Carlisle Castle
Deep inside a room in the keep of Carlisle Castle you’ll find carvings from the 15th century, thought to be made by prison guards and representing emblems of local noblemen and families. One of these is a griffin, a magnificent hybrid creature that has the body, legs and tail of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. It was used as an emblem by the Dacres, a powerful local family.
Go on a monster hunt!
You’ve read all about the mythical beasts that can be spotted at English Heritage sites – now all you need to do is head out and see how many of them you can find yourself.
Download our special monster map and print it out. If you manage to track down any of these mythical creatures, you can tick them off the list. And you can make your map look even more snazzy by colouring it in. Just watch out for those dragons!
Download your map
