A Pirate's Quest Museum

CORNISH LEGENDS

The moorland and shores of Cornwall are filled with tales of faery folk, Pobel vean, Knockers, the faeries of Castle Treen, King Arthur of Tintagel, Betty Stogs of Towednack, Jack O’Lantern (King of Piskies) and Joan the Wad (His Queen), and numerous Mermaid tales. Not to mention the larger-than-life Giant Cormoran of St Michaels Mount, Giant Wrath of Portreath and Giant Bolster of St Agnes.

ARTHUR, THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING

Cornwall’s most well-known legend is that of King Arthur Pendragon and his knights of the round table. Arthur led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6^th century.

Arthur was conceived at Tintagel Castle on the North coast of Cornwall. The ruins of the castle can still be found today, along with Merlin’s cave at shore level.

Arthur became king aged 15, he defeated the Saxons, the Picts and the Irish. Conquered Norway, France and defeated a giant at Mont-Saint-Michel. He was about to attack Rome when he heard that his throne had been stolen by his nephew, Mordred, who had taken Guinevere as his mistress.

Arthur defeated Mordred three times in all – at Richborough, at Winchester and finally Camlann in Cornwall, where Mordred was slain, and Arthur mortally wounded.

St Nectans Glen at Slaughterbridge (between Camelford and Tintagel) lays a 6^th century inscribed stone known as ‘King Arthurs Stone’. This supposedly marks the spot where Arthur met Mordred (illegitimate son of Arthur and Morgan le Fay) for the last battle of Camlann, which brought to an end the fellowship of the Round Table. The battle turned the small river red with blood.

Arthur defeated Mordred but had already received a fatal wound from Mordred’s poisoned sword. As Arthur drew his last breath, he commanded Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake at Dozmary Pool (close to Jamacia Inn at Bolventor)

Some say the Scilly Isles are the Isles of Avalon where Arthur was taken to be healed after Camlann.

Legends tell that the “Once and Future King” will one day return.

TRISTAN AND ISOLDE

Sir Tristan was one of Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table as well as being the nephew of King Mark of Cornwall and the Prince of Lyonesse.

Tristan was set the task of escorting Isolde, the daughter of the King and Queen of Ireland, to Castle Dore in Cornwall to be the bride of his uncle King Mark. The couple drank a magic potion that made them fall in love. Mark and Isolde were married as planned but Isolde’s relationship with Tristan continued until it was discovered by King Mark, causing Tristan to flee.

THE KING OF THE CORNISH PISKIES

Jack O’Lantern is the King of the Cornish piskies; tiny, mischievous faeryfolk, and rules over them with his Queen, Joan the Wad

Queen Joan’s light will illuminate the safe path through Ne’er Do Well’s Passage, just as she guides lost travellers’ home from the Cornish Moors.

Jack lives in the fogs and mists of the moors. If you are kind and understanding of Cornwall and its little people, then he’ll let you pass safely on an easy path but belittle the Countys legends and expect a muddy passage through difficult ways.

THE LAUNCESTON HIGHWAYMAN

Jonathan Shipman started life in Launceston, then followed in his family’s footsteps and ran a thriving business in Bristol.

Life took a drastic turn when he discovered his wife had been unfaithful. He sold his businesss and quickly squandered his fortune. He became a highwayman in order to maintain this extravagent lifestyle.

Jonathan was soon caught and sentenced to hang. He was delivered a pardon standing at the noose, and then made the very rare trip from the gallows back to prison. However, without new papers Jonathan could not be re-admitted, leaving the officers no choice but to set him free.

His life of crime continued during the Great Frost of London, one of the longest and deepest winter freezes. The Thames was frozen for two months, and Jonathan took this opportunity to trip up the ice skaters and rifle through their pockets.

Eventually on September 8^th, 1686, aged 33, Jonathan was hanged.

THE KING OF PRUSSIA

John Carter, a Cornish fisherman, was probably the best known and most respected smuggler in the county. He was known as the ‘King of Prussia’, a nickname he used when playing soldiers as a child because of his admiration for the real Prussian Monarch.

John, and his two brothers, Henry and Charles, used three tiny inlets along the South Cornish Coast to perform most of their smuggling – Bessie’s Cove, Piskie’s Cove and Porthleah – the latter of which got renamed Prussia Cove following John Carter’s fame.

On one occasion John stole back an order of tea from the customs office in order to deliver it in time and keep his reputation, but refusing to steal anything that was not his, he left the rest behind, leaving the workers to know it was Carter who had broken in.

THE WHITE WITCH OF HELSTON

Any woman, young or old, who could make up a simple herbal remedy ran the risk of being denounced as a witch.

One of Britain’s most famous hedge witches was Tamsin Blight, the White Witch of Helston. It is said that she was able to remove curses and put spells on those who displeased her. She was also known for performing shamanic trances using hallucinogens to help predict the future and to communicate with spirits. Farmers would go to see her about sick cattle, or young women about marriage prospects.

She married James Thomas (another conjuror) and the two formed a magical double act.

Her most ambitious work is re-told in the Cornish Legend, ‘The Ghost of Stythians’. The story tells how she raised a spirit in Stythians graveyard of a recently deceased woman so that a male relation could ask if she had any hidden treasures.

THE FYNS OF LOOE ISLAND

The Fyns were a brother and sister that moved from Mewstone near Plymouth after their outlaw father died.

They relocated to Looe Island where they lived in a shack known as Smuggler’s Cottage. It is said that they ate every rat and rabbit on the island.

The two rogues stored smuggled goods in a cave which was hidden even from smugglers, who had to pay a fee for each tub concealed.

A farmer acted as their lookout and would ride his horse along the mainland beach to warn that the coast was clear of custom authorities… If there was danger or trouble the farmer would dismount.

The sister known as Black Joan, was the more feared of the two siblings. She used her fists with the skill of a boxer, smoked and dressed like a man. She gained her nickname after she shot a Jamaican seaman in a local tavern.

LADY MARY KILLIGREW

Lady Elizabeth Killigrew, more famously known as Mary, was born in St Erth and married a local magistrate, Sir John Killigrew of Arwenack House, Falmouth.

Sir John and Lady Mary both indulged in piracy; however, it is said that Mary enjoyed adventure more than her husband, she often ordered for the crew of merchant ships to be killed while she stole the cargo. The Killigrews paid large fees to harbour and city officials, bribing them to look the other way when carrying out illicit activities.

Mary continued her life of piracy even after her husband passed away. In her 60’s she was charged with having engaged in acts of piracy along with her sons and grandsons. They were brought to trial and sentenced to death, but received a pardon from Queen Elizabeth.

Two of her sons, Sir Henry and Sir William eventually secured her release from prison after paying substantial bribes.

THE STORY OF MARY BRYANT

In January 1786, Mary Broad from Fowey, Cornwall, along with her two accomplices, Catherine Fryer and Mary Hayden, held up Agnes Lakeman on a main road into Plymouth.

Mary attacked her before making off with a silk bonnet and valuables.

All three were caught and trialled at Exeter. Mary was initially sentenced to be hanged by the neck until dead; there were 222 crimes punishable by death at the time. But this sentence was re-considered and Mary was finally charged to seven years transportation.

Transportation was a dreadful punishment, forcing criminals to travel overseas to serve on plantations in the new colonies. The cramped conditions were appalling, without adequate food, water or sanitation, the long voyage claimed many lives.

Transportation was virtually a life sentence as no provision was made to bring back those fortunate enough to survive their term. Any one of 400 crimes could earn you a seven, 14 or 21 year sentence.

In May 1787, Mary left England aboard the Charlotte, part of the ‘First Fleet’ that founded a penal colony becoming the first European settlement in Australia. Whilst on board Mary gave birth to a child whom she named after the ship, Charlotte.

Once in Australia, Mary married William Bryant, a convicted Cornish smuggler who was also on the Charlotte, and the two had a son together. William’s fishing background gave him useful skills in New South Wales and he was put in charge of looking after the fishing ships… until he was caught selling fish on the side; a crime earning him 100 lashes.

On March 28th 1791, Mary Bryant and William, along with their children and fellow prisoners, successfully stole a vessel and after a 66 day voyage and a journey of five thousand kilometres, they reached Kupang. It remains one of the most remarkable journeys made in an open boat.

Mary Bryant and her crew claimed to be shipwreck survivors, this story kept them safe until William apparently confessed all. The Bryant’s were sent back to England to stand trial. Unfortunately, Mary was the only member of the Bryant family that survived the journey home.

The ship reached Portsmouth on June 18^th 1792. On July 7^th, it was declared that Mary should serve the rest of her sentence in Newgate prison. Here she grabbed the attention of famous biographer and lawyer, James Boswell, who made it his mission to get Mary a pardon.

Boswell was eventually successful and on May 2^nd 1793, seven years after her sentence, Mary became a free woman. According to Boswell, Mary received news from her family in Fowey, and by October she had arranged to reunite with them.

After an incredible journey, Mary safely returned home to Cornwall.

PIRATE ARTICLES

Captured crew are given the choice to sign the articles or be treated as slaves and killed.

• Every man has equal vote on action and equal share of food and drink.
• All men have equal share of treasure – the captain shall receive two persons share of any treasure.
• No person shall play cards or dice for money.
• Lights and candles put out at 8 o’clock.
• Each person must make sure his cutlass and pistols are ready for use at all times.
• No boy or woman shall be allowed on board when sailing.
• No fighting on board – all quarrels to be settled on shore with sword and cutlass.
• No person shall consider leaving the crew until everyone has shared at least one thousand pounds.
• The ships musicians shall be allowed rest on Sunday.

PIRATE PUNISHMENTS

Disobey the pirate articles and you’ll find yourself punished…

You could have your feet nailed to the deck and be beaten to death, be chopped into pieces and eaten, have your ears cut off or be shot on the spot.

A regular punishment is a beating with a cat o’ nine tails; a nine stranded whip with a knot tied in each end and soaked with the dried blood of past victims. If the whipping doesn’t kill you, infection or blood poisoning might.

The punishment reserved for the most extreme rule breakers was MAROONING. You’d be left on a small strip on land with only a small amount of gunpowder, rum and pistol. If you didn’t die from the lack of shade and intense heat, or starve to death, the pistol would begin to look very tempting.

In 1704, Alexander Selkirk, fed up with disagreements with his captain, asked to be put ashore. He was on his own on the island of Mas a Tierra which is 400 miles off the coast of Chile. Fortunately food and water were plentiful and there he lived for over 4 years until rescued by Woodes Rodger in 1709. Two years later they returned to London and his story was written up by the essayist, Richard Steel and published in 1719. Robinson Crusoe remains as popular today as when it was written.

A brutal naval punishment adopted by pirate crews was KEELHAULING. The keel is the long wooden spar that runs down the centre of the hull for the whole length of the ship, usually covered in shell fish. If you were chosen to be keelhauled, you’d have a rope tied around your feet, be thrown overboard and dragged under the ship. Either you’d have your skin ripped to shreds as you scrape along the keel, or you’d drown and end up as shark food!

TOWAN BLYSTRA

In the 15^th century, the Cornish town of Newquay was known as Towan Blystra. Towan is a Cornish word for ‘hill’ or ‘dune’, and Blystra means ‘blown’. Towan Blystra earned it name by being an anchorage fully exposed to winds from the North East.

In 1439 locals applied to the Bishop of Exeter for permission and funds to build a new quay at Towan Blystra. Since permission was granted and the quay was built, the town has since been known as ‘Newquay’.

HUER’S HUT

The bright white, Huer’s Hut sits high on the Newquay cliff top and was home to the ‘Huer’. The Huer would shout ‘Heva, heva’ when he saw shoals of pilchards arrive in the bay, from his high vantage point. He would hold furze bushes in his hands to direct boats with nets so they could locate and surround the fish.

CRANTOCK STOCKS

The last man to undergo punishment in Crantock Stocks, near Newquay, was William Turney of West Pentire in 1817.

William was a smugglers son and a vagabond. He violently robbed a widow woman of Cubert Parish and was placed in Crantock Stocks to receive his humiliating punishment.

Luckily for William he was insufficiently secured and shortly afterwards appeared on the top of the church tower. He had cut the rope from the tenor bell and used this to access the roof. From here he jumped down to the churchyard and bolted! He found a ship that would take him to sea and was never brought to justice or seen in the neighbourhood again.

“I paid my price for finding out,
Nor never grudged the price I paid,
But sat in clink without my boots,
Admiring how the world was made.”

LADY MARY KILLIGREW

Lady Mary Killigrew was arguably the most famous Cornish pirate. Born in St Erth, Mary married a local magistrate, Sir John Killigrew of Arwenack House, Falmouth. Sir John and Lady Mary both indulged in piracy; however it is said that Mary enjoyed adventure more than her husband.

The Killigrews paid large fees to harbour and city officials, bribing them to look the other way when carrying out illicit activities.

Mary continued her life of piracy even after her husband passed away. In her 60’s she was charged with having engaged in acts of piracy along with her sons and grandsons. They were brought to trial and sentenced to death, but received a pardon from Queen Elizabeth.

Two of her sons, Sir Henry and Sir William eventually secured her release from prison after paying substantial bribes.

CAPTAIN NED LOW

Captain Ned Low was an American pickpocket turned pirate.

He saw love and compassion as weaknesses so didn’t allow married men on his crew and would shoot any married prisoners in the head.

When he captured the Spanish Galleon ‘Montcova’ he killed 53 Spanish captives with his cutlass, fed a Spanish prisoner his friends heart and burnt a cook alive. He was also known to make a captain eat his own ear before killing him.

On one occasion Low’s face was stabbed during a battle, a wound which he insisted on sewing up himself.

Eventually his own crew set him a drift in a small boat. A French ship rescued him but when they realised who he was they hanged him. He died in 1724.

BLACKBEARD

Edward Teach (1680 – 1718), infamously known as Blackbeard was a learned man who had been married fourteen times before he died.

He shot members of his crew for fun; most famously, his first mate, Israel Hands. Blackbeard shot him in the knee and crippled him for life.

He wore smoking ropes in his plaited beard in hopes that they would look like snakes, and make him appear even more ferocious. Blackbeard’s incredible strength meant he could split a man from head to waist with one strike of his cutlass. He’d often save time when collecting rings and jewellery and just cut off the hands of his victims.

In 1718 Lieutenant Maynard set out to hunt down and kill Blackbeard. The ended up in a hand to hand fight. Maynard is said to have shot Blackbeard five times and stabbed him twenty times with no effect, and eventually cut off his head and stuck it on the ships mast.

Blackbeard’s body is said to have swam round his ship three times before eventually sinking.

SIR HENRY MORGAN

Welsh-born Henry Morgan was a privateer employed to attack Spanish ships for King Charles II. As a young man he travelled to the Caribbean in 1655 as part of an English expedition against the Spanish. By 1660 he had acquired the title of Captain and obtained letters of marque allowing him to attack Spanish ships. Captain Morgan managed to take several Spanish Galleons but was dissatisfied as he had to share the spoils with the authorities.

He turned to piracy and began successfully plundering Spanish towns along the mainland coast, Morgans main tactic was to attack in overwhelming numbers; he often had over one thousand vicious buccaneers under his command. In 1668 King Charles encouraged Morgan to attack the Spanish in Cuba. He spent three weeks looting every building in Portobello and crushed a Spanish counter attack. He returned to Jamaica with his fleet heavily laden with stolen silver and gold.

By 1671 Morgan had performed one too many attacks and the Spanish began complaining to Charles II about Morgans attacks and Morgan was eventually arrested and brought back to England. On his return Morgan was quickly released and the King rewarded him with a knighthood. In addition to this, in 1674, Sir Henry Morgan was then made Governor of Jamaica.

Captain Morgan was a good tactical soldier, but a terrible sailor. On one occasion he managed to wreck a ship by driving it into rocks. He then clung to the rocks waiting to be rescued. On another occasion a couple of his drunken sailors knocked over a candle in the gunpowder store and blew up the ship; 250 crew members died, Morgan lived.

He remained as Governor of Jamaica until illness caused him to retire. Eventually Morgan drank himself to death. By the time he passed in 1688 he was swollen like a balloon and had turned yellow.

THE KING OF PRUSSIA

A particular smuggling hotspot in Cornwall was Prussia Cove, just East of Penzance. It was previously called Porthleah up until John, Harry and Charles Carter started using it to land their contraband.

The Carter family ran an efficient and profitable smuggling operation using three small inlets along the Cornish Coast; Piskies Cove, Bessie’s Cove and Prussia Cove. These coves even had secret passages connecting to the houses above.

John Carter (1770 – 1807) was definitely the most famous of the brothers. He was known as the King of Prussia because that was his nickname as a child when playing soldiers. It stems from his deep admiration for the true Prussian Monarch, King Frederick the Great.

On one occasion honest John had to break into the Penzance customs house to retrieve confiscated contraband that he’d promised to a local tradesman. When the break in was discovered the culprits identity was immediately obvious because the only goods missing were those previously removed from John Carters home. In 1807 John Carter mysteriously disappeared and presumed dead, but the King of Prussia’s body was never found.

THE FYNS OF LOOE ISLAND

The Fyn’s were a brother and sister that moved from Mewstone near Plymouth after their outlaw father died.

They relocated to Looe Island where they lived in a shack known as Smuggler’s Cottage.

The two rogues stored smuggled goods in a cave which was hidden even from smugglers, who had to pay a fee for each tub concealed.

A farmer acted as their lookout and would ride his horse along the mainland beach to warn that the coast was clear of custom authorities… If there was danger or trouble the farmer would dismount.

There are numerous stories and sightings of mermaids from around the Cornish coast including Seaton, between Downderry and Looe. This was once a thriving fishing town, but one day a local man insulted the mermaid and she cursed the town to be swallowed by the sands. Mermaids Rock, near Lamorna in the West of Cornwall is home to a more sinister mermaid. It is said that she would sit combing her hair and singing, luring local fishermen to their death.

THE MERMAID OF ZENNOR

It is said that the Mermaid of Zennor was one of the daughters of Llyr, King of the Ocean, and named Morveren.

Disguised as a beautiful human – Morveren visited St Senara’s Church every Sunday to listen to Matthew Trewhella, a local chorister, sing. He could not resist her beauty and willingly followed her to Pendower Cove and turned to a life beneath the waves for her.

The villagers wondered what had become of the two, until one Sunday a ship cast anchor about a mile from Pendower Cove. Soon after, a mermaid appeared, and asked that the anchor be raised, as one of its flukes was resting on her door, and she was unable to reach her children. The sailors obliged, and quickly set sail, believing the mermaid to be an ill omen. But when the villagers heard of this, they concluded that the mermaid was the same lady that had long visited their church, and that she had enticed Matthew Trewhella to come and live with her.

The parishioners at St Senara’s commemorated the story by having one end bench carved in the shape of a mermaid. This can still be seen today, over 600 years later – some can still claim to hear the lovers singing in Zennor.

MORVENA THE MERMAID

Heart-rending cries of woe on a deserted beach led a farmer to the most amazing creature he had ever seen – a stunning mermaid who sat, sobbing in a rock pool.

Once assured the man meant her no harm, the beautiful mermaid explained how she foolishly remained, combing seaweed from her hair, while, unnoticed, the tide had turned leaving her stranded. Without legs, she could not return to her family beneath the waves. She begged to be carried back to the waters edge and in return would grant three wishes. Seeing her distress the man readily agreed and they started seaward. He knew no good came of greed and so asked for the powers to break spells of witchcraft; to charm away diseases and that these gifts would pass to his children.

The mermaid, so pleased with his unselfishness, not only granted these wishes, but promised in addition, his descendants would never know want.

On reaching the breakwater, the unlikely pair said goodbye, but before descending to the watery depths the mermaid gave her rescuer the comb from her hair with the pledge to come to his aid if needed. To summon her he should comb the sea three times, while calling her name – Morvena.

THE MERMAID OF PADSTOW

Years ago Padstow was an important Cornish port and a natural safe haven on an otherwise rocky coast.

Legends tell how one day a merry mermaid, whilst in the port, was shot by a visiting boat. She disappeared for a moment then emerged from the waves and made a vow.

She raised her right hand and swore that the fortunes of the harbour would turn and be desolate from that day forth. As she spoke a storm blew up wrecking several ships and throwing up the huge sandbank known as the Doom Bar.

Since that day the river mouth has become choked up with drifting sand and has meant the port can now only accommodate small craft.