Barghest is a monstrous black dog from English folklore who is known for his huge fangs and claws, especially prominent in Yorkshire. The demon was feared as a dark omen with stories being told of it wandering into the city of York where it would prey on lone travellers.

As well as the common black dog guise the Barghest was said to be a shape-shifter and as such the name can be used to describe other supernatural beings such as ghosts or goblins - many of the Barghest's forms are frightening to humans, further empathizing its status as an ill omen.

Popular Culture[]

The Barghest features as a villain in the children's TV series Roger and the Rottentrolls. The creature lives in Troller's Gill and is feared by the Rottentrolls as it has picked off several of them in the past, although the Barghest only comes out to hunt at night under a Full Moon. The creature also proved to be an unexpected ally to the Rottentrolls in the episode The Rubbish Monster, when it scared off two young adults who were camped in Troller's Gill and leaving litter everywhere. In a twist, the spin-off series Ripley and Scuff featured a friendly baby Barghest - known as "Bargy" - as the pet of Ripley, Scuff and Strid.

Barghests are hostile creatures in Polish video game "The Witcher". They are wraiths of dead dogs glowing in green. They are lead by hellhound called "the Beast", it's a bigger barghest glowing in red. They terrorize a small village attracted by sins and attrocities commited by the villagers.

The Barghest are also featured in the Elder Scrolls franchise where they appear as enemies similar to other forms of media that they appear in.