1736 F. Drake i. ii. 58 The Padfoot of Pontfrete, and the Barguest of York.

1828 W. Carr (ed. 2) Pad-foot , a Ghost.

1865 S. Baring-Gould viii. 106 The Church-dog, bar-ghast, pad-foit , wash-hound, or by whatever name the animal supposed to haunt a churchyard is designated.

1883 T. Lees Padfoot ,..described as being something like a large sheep, or dog; sometimes to have rattled a chain, and been accustomed to accompany persons on their night walks, much as a dog might; keeping by their side, and making a soft noise with its feet—pad, pad, pad—whence its name. It had large eyes as big as ‘tea-plates’.

1972 M. J. Petry vii. 85 In Staffordshire and the north generally, the padfoots guard the graves of those who have died by violence, as do the barguests of the west country.