The Blood on Satan's Claw (also released as Satan's Skin) is a 1970 British horror film made by Tigon British Film Productions and directed by Piers Haggard. The film was written by Robert Wynne-Simmons, with additional material by Piers Haggard, and stars Patrick Wymark, Linda Hayden and Barry Andrews. It is set in early 18th century England, and tells the story of a village taken over by demonic possession.
In his 2010 BBC documentary series A History of Horror, writer and actor Mark Gatiss referred to the film as a prime example of a short-lived subgenre he called folk horror, grouping it with 1968's Witchfinder General and 1973's The Wicker Man. The film was to be Patrick Wymark's last English language film, and was released three months after his death.
In early 18th century England, Ralph Gower (Barry Andrews) uncovers a deformed skull with one eye and strange fur on it while ploughing a field. Ralph insists that local judge (Patrick Wymark) look at it, but the skull has vanished and the judge disregards Ralph's supernatural fears. Later, many people in the village become affected by its supernatural power, including a young woman (Tamara Ustinov) who sprouts a claw, and children who find a strange claw and then behave oddly and grow patches of fur on their bodies.
Peter Edmonton (Simon Williams) rides to a neighbouring town to find the judge and bring him back to eradicate the evil. After doing some research in a book about witchcraft, the judge returns. The judge learns that the evil children in the village will gather nearby, and he takes some men to the spot. A satanic beast, whose remains had been found by Gower, is responsible for the evil infecting the populace. The judge and his party find the beast at their destination and slay it.
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