The Ratman of Southend

The site of the alleged Ratman hauntings in Southend-on-Sea, England.

The Ratman of Southend is an English urban legend originating in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.^[1] The story of the Ratman tells of an old homeless man, seeking shelter from the cold in an underpass, was set upon by a group of youths and beaten to near-death, cold and blood loss doing the rest. As he died, the numerous vermin who inhabit the area gathered, and were found to have devoured his face. After this, a ghostly figure was spotted in the underpass, with people hearing ratlike squealing, and scraping, as if large claws were moving across the walls.^[2]

In popular culture

A short film about the Ratman of Southend, directed by Michael Holiday, was entered in 2019 during the annual Horror-on-Sea film festival in Southend.^[3]

In 2020, Afterlight Comics published Folktales of the Cryptids Vol. 2.^[4] An anthology revolving around different folkloric creatures, in which the Ratman is included.

References

External links

• from Mysterious Britain
• Article discussing the Ratman story among other folkloric English characters
• A list of Southend's most haunted locations^{[yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]}
• BBC America article

[ ⚑ ] 51°32′28″N 0°42′40″E / 51.5412°N 0.7110°E / 51.5412; 0.7110

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