Ghosts and Legends of St. Ives.
Spectral happenings in the little coastal town of St. Ives.
Deep in the English County of Cornwall, clinging to the storm tossed coastline is the historic seaside town of St. Ives. (Cornish: Porth Ia, meaning St Ia’s cove.) Once a prosperous fishing port, a recent decline in this trade has seen the towns economy shift more towards tourism.
St. Ives is home to The Sloop Inn, an old fisherman’s pub dating back to the 14th Century and believed to be Cornwall’s oldest pub. The seaside town has been home to Smugglers, Wreakers and is a favourite location for artists. So it has plenty of history and also a great deal of local legends and ghosts guaranteed to peak the interest of any budding myth hunter.
Saint Ia of Cornwall
St. Ives is associated in legend with the arrival of St. Ia in Cornwall. St. Ia was an Irish Princess from the 5th Century, who became a saint and martyr. She arrived at the sea shore to discover that her companions had departed for Cornwall without her. Upset she prayed, and noticing a small leaf floating on the sea, touched it with a rod to see if it would sink, but it grew larger. Trusting God, she embarked upon the leaf and was carried across the Irish Sea, arriving at Cornwall before the others.
Dead Man’s Walk
Dead Man’s Walk is a narrow, shadowy lane, that was once the route taken by condemned prisoners making their final journey to their place of execution. It is a area best avoided at night, as people walking there describe feelings of depression and terror. Shadowy figures and ghostly footsteps have also been reported here. It is said that if you are wandering down this street and hear the church bells ring an extra chime, it is a sign of a guilty conscience.
Trencrom Hillfort
Not far from St. Ives lies, Trencrom Hill fort, orginally called Torcrobm the name is derived from the Cornish "torr crobm", meaning, 'hunched bulge.' it was first used as a settlement in the neolithic period, and then used as a hillfort in the Iron age. Legends says that the treasure of a great Cornish giant is buried somewhere on Trencrom, supposedly guarded by Spriggans, a race of grotesquely ugly, wizened old men with large childlike heads.
The Lady with the Lamp
There is told - about the town - the sad tale of a ghostly woman who wanders about the beach bearing a spectral lamp. She is believed to be a mother whose baby was swept into the sea during a storm and was lost forever. The grieving woman passed away shortly after this tragic event, and though her body was laid to rest, her spirit was not. Locals say that even today a flickering light can be seen on the beach before a storm, and that this light is the Lady with the Lantern, wandering the lonely sands in search of her lost baby.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog my friend. If you enjoy stories of ghosts, monsters, and the uncanny, please consider supporting me by purchasing a copy of my book ‘Fireside Horror,’ a novel told in short stories, each one certain to send a shiver down your spine. Available on Amazon and Audible, Link Below.
Until next time, stay spooky.
