The Hound of the Baskervilles tales claim that Conan Doyle was inspired by his time on holiday in North Norfolk, where the tale of Black Shuck is well known. The pre-Gothic Cromer Hall, where Conan Doyle stayed, also closely resembles Doyle's vivid descriptions of Baskerville Hall. James Lynam Molloy, a friend of Doyle's, and author of 'Love's Old Sweet Song', married Florence Baskerville, daughter of Henry Baskerville of Crowsley Park,Oxfordshire. The gates to the park had statues of hell hounds, spears through their mouths. Above the lintel there was another statue of a hell hound. In 1902, Doyle's original manuscript of the book was broken
The Sign of Four (1983 film) Hound of the Baskervilles" were ultimately filmed as Granada Television's "Sherlock Holmes" series premiered in 1984. In an interview with "Scarlet Street", Ian Richardson explained: "The Sign of Four" was shot simultaneously with "The Hound of the Baskervilles" but the schedule precluded having David Healy portray Watson in both films so Donald Churchill was enlisted to play the role in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". Two previous Watsons appear in the film: Terence Rigby who played Watson to Tom Baker's Holmes in 1982s "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and Thorley Walters who played Watson three times previously; with Christopher Lee