Gargoyles

It's mentioned in The Fall of the House of Usher that the haunted house gives the feeling to the main character that he's been watched by it. Its lights create an illusion of eyes starring at him. So what else could be equivalent to this illusion than gargoyles? They are found in many churches and other buildings and are often a animals, each one with a different symbolism, like lions, dogs, wolves, eagles, goats, monkeys or chimeras ( carvings of faces mixed with different types of animal parts to create a new creature). They often represent the evil and scare people who come into the church, reminding them that the end of days is near. Or alternatively, it is also thought that their presence assured congregants that evil is kept outside of the church’s walls.