Codicote Local History Society's logo is a drawing of ‘The Old Dog’, a wooden carving in St. Giles's church.

It’s an odd-looking creature for sure, seemingly with parts from various animals – a dog’s (or baboon’s) head with bat ears, a horse’s mane, the body of some unknown animal, a lion’s tail, and the legs and hoofs of a cow or goat.  It has a collar around its neck and is chained fast to a book stand – thankfully, as the dog is said to represent the devil or some spirit of evil, securely restrained.

Originally the Old Dog formed part of the reading desk of the church.  Later it was stored in a coach-house, and from there via a public house to a London furniture dealer.  Finally it was tracked down in an old lumber room in the Old Curiosity Shop, Holborn, London, and restored to the church c.1910 by the then vicar the Rev Crofton.  Check it out in the church.