In the heart of Horsham District in West Sussex, around the expansive woodland that is St. Leonard’s Forest, lies a story that has echoed through the centuries. Dating back to 1614, there was a local pamphlet published with the unsettling title ‘The Dragon of St. Leonard’s Forest.’ According to this tale, a fearsome beast terrorized the nearby environs, causing great havoc and consternation among the villagers and their livestock. The creature was described as being nine feet long, culminating in a tail over an acre’s length. It sported immense wings and emitted a poisonous breath that led to many deaths and illnesses. Nobody could locate the dragon’s lair or predict where it would next appear. Many claims were documented of the dragon attacking local herds of cows and sheep, and even killing humans. Ominously, in a parallel with modern day sightings of anomalous creatures, this great beast appeared just before an outbreak of the plague. Eventually, the gospel preacher (and well-known ‘dragon slayer’) of Mousehold, named Richard Pendergrass, bravely challenged it. Following a fierce and terrible battle, he eventually slew the monster. His valiant achievement was rewarded by the rapturous villagers, who forever recounted his story, passing it down through the generations. While modern day visitors to the forest can feel blessedly confident that no dragons await them, they can nonetheless imagine the fear those early dwellers must have felt, fulfilling a unique connection to the area’s past.