Discovery of Devil's Footprints

Date: February 9, 1855 • Location: Chagford, United Kingdom

A series of hoof-like marks in the snow continuing through the countryside for some 40 to 100 miles (60 to 160 km) were discovered in Devon, England.

The Devil's Footprints was a phenomenon that occurred during February 1855 around the Exe Estuary in east and south Devon, England. After a heavy snowfall, trails of hoof-like marks appeared overnight in the snow covering a total distance of some 40 to 100 miles. The footprints were so called because some persons suggested that they were the tracks of Satan and made comparisons to a cloven hoof. Many theories have been made to explain the incident, and some aspects of its veracity have also been questioned.