Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Cornwall

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English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Dando and The Wild Hunt

There are many tales to explain the origin of the spectral wild hunt, this one is from the Parish of St Germans in Cornwall. It explains how a priest with low morals became a demon huntsman.

In the medieval period the priest of the parish of St Germans was called Dando. Dando was not a figure of priestly virtue but abused his powers to enjoy earthly delights.

Hauntings

Truro

In a field on the outskirts of the town, chain rattling spectres have been heard on the site of the town’s gibbet. Gibbets were often places associated with hauntings in the past, especially black dogs, which were seen as the spirits of the hanged.

Ancient Sites / Stone Circles

Merry Maidens

Standing stones known as the Merry Maidens, lie Southeast of St Buryan, and are thought to date back to the Bronze Age. The circle consists of regular spaced granite stones, most under four feet in height.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Carn Gluze Long Barrow

Carn Gluze Long Barrow is a developed site that has seen burials over a long period of time. Early in the history of the barrow a deep shaft was built in the centre of the monument with steps leading down into it, its purpose is unclear although theories of ritual usage have been expounded.

Apparitions / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

Dolphin Inn, Penzance

The Dolphin Inn in Penzance has a long and interesting history, reputedly including amongst its visitors Sir Walter Raleigh and Judge Jeffries .

Judge Jeffries the notorious "Hanging Judge" is said to have held court in the dinning room, after the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion.

Ancient Sites / Giants / Legends

Castle Dore and the Tristan Stone

Castle Dore is an Iron age hillfort dating from around 200BC.  It was possibly home to Cunomonus a local king who had a son called Drustanus. The castle is also associated with the legend of Tristan and Isolde.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Men-an Tol

Men-an-Tol, consist of a holed stone (with the largest hole of any British holed stone) between two upright stones, with other fallen stones nearby. The holed stone is considered to be the remains of an entrance to a chambered tomb. The whole structure having been covered with a mound of earth. As with many of these cromlechs it is difficult to image a mound covering them at any time.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Lanyon Quoit

Also known as The Giants Table, Lanyon Quoit is a Neolithic burial mound dating back to 2500BC. The chambered tomb is made up of three upright granite blocks and a capstone, the covering mound has long since weathered away.

Ancient Sites

Carn Euny

The remains of this Iron Age village dating from around 200BC, houses a 66-foot long fogou. A fogou is an underground passage, completed in stone and covered with earth. They date from the Iron Age period to the Roman occupation.

There is some speculation as to their purpose. Whether they are storage facilities, safe havens from attackers or channels for earth currents is debatable.

Ancient Sites / Legends / Stone Circles

The Hurlers

The Hurlers are three stone circles situated on moorland to the Northwest of Minions. The circles are aligned Southwest to Northeast and consist of low granite blocks of varying shapes and sizes. They date back to the Bronze Age period. According to legend they are reputed to be the petrified remains of men who were hurling on the Sabbath.