Piers Shonks

Sir Piers Shonks was a legendary figure from the village of Brent Pelham in Hertfordshire, England. His tomb lies within the north wall of the village church, and local legend tells how he slew a dragon and outwitted the Devil to protect his soul.

According to tradition, Sir Piers was the lord of the local manor, whose moated house remains can still be seen east of Brent Pelham, in an area known locally as "Shonkes." The legend recounts that Shonks returned from a holiday to discover a terrifying dragon had settled in the Brent Pelham area, devastating the region and burning all local crops. This dragon supposedly made its lair in a cave beneath an ancient yew tree growing on the boundary between two fields called Great Pepsells and Little Pepsells. The beast was said to be the Devil's favorite creature.

Determined to free his lands from the dragon's destruction, Shonks set out fully armored with sword and spear, accompanied by an attendant and three remarkably swift hounds—reportedly so fast they seemed to have wings. After an extensive hunt, Shonks located the dragon in its lair. During the fierce battle that followed, while his hounds harassed the dragon by snapping at its legs, Shonks managed to kill the monster by thrusting his spear down its throat.

After slaying the dragon, Shonks noticed a strong smell of sulphur and turned to find the Devil himself standing behind him. Furious at the death of his creature, the Devil vowed revenge, declaring he would claim Shonks's body and soul upon death, adding that Shonks could not escape by being buried either inside or outside the Brent Pelham church. Unfazed by these threats, Shonks reportedly responded that his soul belonged to God and his body would rest wherever he chose.

Most versions of the tale suggest Shonks lived many years after the dragon's demise, although historian Henry Chauncy wrote in 1700 that Shonks was mortally wounded during the battle and died shortly afterward.

In one version of the legend, Shonks requested burial in the church wall—neither inside nor outside—to thwart the Devil's vow. Another version claims that as Shonks lay dying, he shot an arrow into the air, declaring he should be buried wherever it landed. The arrow flew through an open window of Brent Pelham church and lodged in the north wall, determining his burial place. By being interred within the wall itself—neither inside nor outside the church—Shonks's soul remained beyond the Devil's reach.

A less common variation of the legend portrays Piers Shonks as a giant who defeated a rival in nearby Barkway.