The Henham DragonThe Henham dragon first appeared in 1668 in the British village of Henham, Essex.The creature was described as being nine feet long, with small wings. The eyes were surrounded by strange feathers. There were numerous sightings of the dragon over the next year. Some people just caught a glimpse of it in the distance, others reported it flying overhead. In 1669 a pamphlet called "The Flying Serpent or Strange News Out of Essex" was published. A copy of this can be viewed at Saffron Walden library. This pamphlet contained detailed descriptions of encounters with the Henham dragon and even a woodcut showing a picture of it. The veracity of the document was sworn to by seven locals including a Church-Warden and the local Constable.
Hoax?The Henham dragon was "revealed" as a hoax in 1990 in Ingenious William Winstanley, a biography of William Winstanley who lived in the area in the 1660s.According to biographer Alison Barnes, Winstanley perpetrated the Henham hoax - mainly for fun. The pamphlet was allegedly written anonymously by Winstanley with the "witnesses" quoted all being friends of his. The hoax was enhanced by a nine foot long wooden and canvas dragon which the jesters allowed to be seen in and around Birch Wood. The final ingredient in the Henham dragon hoax was the imagination of villagers who enjoyed a good story.
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