Shucks belong to one of East Anglia’s oldest and most persistent Beast traditions. Most famously associated with Black Shuck and the stories surrounding Bungay, they are creatures of roads, old churches and uneasy journeys.

Unlike Snap Dragons, the Beast and its effigy remain distinct: Shuck forms are kept as guardians, invoking the watchfulness of the hound rather than replacing it.

Their reputation is understandably dark, but a Shuck is not simply an omen of harm. To keep its image is to place something formidable at the boundary and trust that it is looking outward.