UFO’s, Black-Eyed Children, Werewolves and…. A Pigman? Part 1

Having recently relocated to the Scottish Highlands, I was quite excited about the prospect of living near the home of the UK's most renowned cryptid, the Loch Ness Monster. Little did I realise that this move would lead me to discover a treasure trove of paranormal encounters in a forest located 460 miles away.

Many conventions and conferences are hosted in England, often making driving the most convenient mode of transportation to reach them. Adjacent to the M6 motorway, there is a conveniently situated hotel in a village named Norton Canes, within the Cannock Chase District. One evening, while browsing the internet to discover local attractions, I stumbled upon an article detailing alleged supernatural phenomena in the nearby Cannock Chase Forest. The accounts were diverse, encompassing everything from UFO sightings and encounters with black-eyed children to reports of werewolves and Bigfoot. However, the most peculiar incidents revolve around the enigmatic figure known as The Pigman.

Similar to many supernatural tales, the origin of the Pigman is not confined to a single story. The first tale recounts the experience of a young pregnant girl who faced accusations of witchcraft and was consequently banished from her village, and forced into the depths of the forest. Following the birth of a child cursed with witches blood and severe deformities, she abandoned the infant and returned to the village seeking redemption for her past misdeeds. Succumbing to fever less than a year later, the mother took the secret of her child's existence to her grave.

The second version of the origin story emerges shortly after the conclusion of World War Two. During this period, British and American scientists embarked on a DNA-mixing experiment involving a human and a pig. The tale suggests that the resulting DNA concoction was used to impregnate a woman who had been abducted and drugged by the military. After a ten-month gestation, the experiment was deemed a failure, leading to the woman's release. However, a year later, it was discovered that the pregnancy had indeed been a success, resulting in the birth of a child. This child was said to possess a human body but a pig's head and face.

Although there is an abandoned military base nearby and reports from various corners of the world regarding gruesome military experiments, stories of the Pigman had already circulated long before the conclusion of World War Two.

The remains of a 17th-century village, coupled with the chronological sequence of sightings, lends more credibility to the first of the two origin stories.

Not long after the young girl's death, rumors started to spread throughout the village about an unusual creature lurking on the outskirts. Described as massive in size and possessing pig-like features, this entity gained attention. Soon after these initial sightings, reports emerged of farm animals going missing, their remains discovered partially eaten within the forest. As a harsh winter set in, the forest allegedly claimed the lives of children who ventured in, never to return, ultimately resulting in the village's abandonment. 

A more recent account, this one from 1993, is from a couple who were strolling through the forest when they caught peculiar sounds emanating from the bushes. Mistaking it for another couple being intimate, they decided to veer in the opposite direction, heading back toward their car. Upon reaching the steps leading down to the car park, the man turned for a final glance into the woods and witnessed what he could only describe as a 7-foot-tall figure. Clad in blue clothing, the creature had an elongated face with a snout-like nose. This prompted the couple to hasten their pace back to their car. However, as they were about to depart, they were unsettled by a high-pitched squealing noise resembling that of a pig being slaughtered.

 Another tale recounts an incident involving a group of 14 scouts who had set up camp in the woods. After a day filled with hiking, climbing, and various outdoor activities, the scouts gathered around a campfire to share eerie stories from the area. Eventually, the conversation shifted to The Pigman, an entity that supposedly responds to a summoning rhyme:

“Pigman, you’ve no family, none love you, that I can see.

Pigman, such a tragedy, won’t you come play with me?”

After a brief pause, a large figure emerged from the edge of the trees. Bearing a snout-like nose and tusks, the creature uprooted a tree and hurled it at the scouts. In a frenzy of panic, all but one scout tried to escape the scene. The frozen-in-fear scout although an easy target was ignored, as the creature systematically picked off the fleeing scouts one by one. Tragically, one scout tripped, his ankle caught in a tree root, and his head was crushed by the relentless creature.

Ignored by the beast, the frozen scout eventually lost consciousness. Upon waking, he painstakingly returned to the campsite, only to discover it in disarray. Tents were torn, personal belongings were strewn about and splattered with blood, yet there was no sign of the other scouts. Thankfully, this tale is widely regarded as an urban legend.

Some individuals hold the belief that The Pigman was merely a story crafted by the military to dissuade curious locals from approaching their base. This approach has been utilised before, especially during the two world wars, and was employed in numerous countries, often targeting less developed cultures. Regardless of the authenticity of these accounts, the Cannock Chase Pigman has firmly secured its spot alongside Nessie as one of the United Kingdom's most renowned cryptids.