The Flying Serpent of Henham

In 1669 a pamphlet named local men who had seen something in the woods. It had wings, and it was nine feet long.

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The Henham Flying Serpent

Nine feet long, winged, and sworn to by honest men.

See it clearly

What's there: Dragon village sign and church screen carvings
Legend from: Restoration-era pamphlet
Tone: Curious

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Before you go

The village sign and parish church can be seen from the street; church opening times are not confirmed, so check before you go. The screen carvings are low down and hard to spot.

St Mary the Virgin, Henham
Near Church Street
The pin is approximate.

Coming into Henham, where in 1669 men swore a nine-foot winged serpent was hiding in the woods.

In 1669 a pamphlet called The Flying Serpent, or Strange News out of Essex reported a winged serpent at Henham, near Saffron Walden. It was said to be eight or nine feet long and to lurk near Birch Wood, and several local men were named as having seen it. The pamphlet was by the Quendon writer William Winstanley, and some now think the whole story was his hoax. Whatever the truth, the village took the beast to heart. It appears on the village sign and gives its name to the parish magazine, and two tiny carvings on the church screen are believed to be dragons. The tale later helped inspire Sarah Perry's novel The Essex Serpent.

Sources

Legends nearby

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