Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second SeriesBottrell, William
General
Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second Series
Bottrell, William
Cornwall (England : County) -- Social life and customs; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
The remarkable correspondence of beliefs, customs, names of
places, &c., in the Armorican Cornouaile, with those of West
Cornwall, would seem to show that the former was either
colonised from hence or that many found an asylum there in
some invasion of this district.
The story of Tom of Chyannor is well known there; a
translation of the Armorican version was given in one of the
early numbers of Chambers's Journal as a Breton legend.
A Ghostly Ship's-Bell.
In the southern side of St. Levan Churchyard there is a low
altar-tomb on the grave of Captain Wetherel, whose ship sprung
a-leak and sunk, and who was drowned near the Rundle Stone
many years ago. This grave is regarded with fear and wonder
by many persons of that neighbourhood; for ever since the
Captain was laid there, it has been believed that a ghostly bell
strikes the hours, and half-hours, in his grave, the same as on
board ship.
'Tis said this sound beneath the sod may be heard the clearest
by persons passing the Churchyard at midnight. It was a few
minutes before that hour, when the Captain, finding his vessel
sinking, made his crew take to the boat; but he himself refused
to quit his ship; and, as she went down, they heard him give
eight loud and distinct strokes on the bell.
[278]
Many years since several young people were assembled in the
Churchyard one Sunday forenoon, after service had commenced
and the elders had gone into Church; time passed pleasantly
with the young folks in chatting about such occurrences of the
St. Levan world as interested them. In rambling among the
graves, to look at the many garden flowers that bloomed on
them, they approached Captain Wetherel's tomb, and a girl who
stood by it reading the inscription, started back on hearing a
hollow sound beneath her feet; she, and others near her, who
saw her emotion, listened, and lo! a ringing came up as of a
bell at sea; all rushed into Church in great fright. There
was much talk of the strange occurrence for a few weeks, and
less loitering of the youngsters to gossip in the Churchyard
during service.
Shortly after a young sailor, belonging to St. Levan, who had
been absent many years, came home for a few weeks; being in
the "Elder Tree" public-house, one forenoon, with some of his
former companions, their discourse led to the mention of the
ship's-bell sounding in Captain Wetherel's grave. The young
seaman said he believed the story was all nonsense, though as
strange or stranger things sometimes happened in old vessels;
but, as it was then near upon twelve o'clock, for curiosity sake, he
went out and stood near the Captain's tomb; whilst his comrades
remained by the Church porch, for a few minutes, watching the
sun-dial. As it marked noon the sailor rushed back to his companions,
and, looking as pale as a corpse, said, with bated
breath, "True as I'm alive, I heard 'eight bells' struck in the
grave, and wouldn't go near the spot again for the world."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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