The Mermaid of Zennor

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After these enthralling tales of magic and mermaids, you’ll probably be wondering if there are mermaids in Cornwall still…. Well, there are! Down in the beautiful harbour town of St Ives lives a mermaid to this day. Known to all as the St Ives Mermaid (and to some as Laura), this modern-day professional mermaid can be seen swimming around the clear waters of St Ives delighting passers-by. At least, that was what people saw. In the next moment, a cloud of fog arrived, and when it disappeared, Mathew and the mysterious woman were nowhere to be seen. N.B. Dennys, The folk-lore of China, and its affinities with that of the Aryan Semitic races [electronic resource], London: Trübner, 1876, p. 115, ttps://archive.org/details/folkloreofchinai00denn [last accessed 18 February 2020]

There are several other stories of mermaids from around the Cornish coast including Seaton, between Downderry and Looe. Here, where now only exists a sandy beach, was once a thriving fishing town. One day a local man insulted the mermaid and she cursed the town to be swallowed by the sands. Mathy Trewhella, my husband, of course,” she said. “Now haul away, if you please.” The captain did not stay to argue, but brought up the anchor immediately. And with a swish from her long gleaming tail she was gone, diving down to the sea-bed and her family. Either way, it’s fitting that the legend of a mermaid has grown from a church which was supposedly founded by a woman who emerged from the sea.After a service one Sunday, the lady had smiled at Mathew Trewella so he had decided to follow her as she made her way off and towards the cliffs. The next time she appeared in church he was ready. Before the end of the service, as the parson gave the benediction, Mathy slipped from the choir stalls and let himself out of the little side door of the church. And so, as soon as the lady emerged, first as usual from the main door, he was at her side. She smiled as if she had been expected him, and took his arm; and thus they left the churchyard together. People coming after them saw them take the winding path that led down the valley towards the sea. One day, the mysterious woman noticed Mathew. After church ended, she smiled at him, and looked at the door. He followed her, and this time she walked slowly, so that he did not lose her. However, he could still not work up the courage to walk beside her. The captain didn’t need to be asked twice. He pulled up the anchor, and the mermaid thanked him and swam away. Excuse me, kind captain!’ called the person. ‘I’m afraid you have cast anchor on the door of my house, and I would like very much to go home. Could you raise the anchor again?’

Now, there are a few variations of this stormy tale, but they all share one fact: a mermaid wronged is a formidable thing. The most recognised story tells of a man, who when out hunting for seals, came across a mermaid combing her salty hair on the beach. He immediately fell in love and asked the gentle beauty to be his wife. When she declined, the young man shot her in a moment of fury. It was only then that he realised she was a mermaid, and that had been the reason behind her refusal. He tried to save her but was too late and, in the poor mermaid’s dying moments, she cursed the harbour. It was this final act that turned a once busy port into a treacherous place that all but the smallest boats could visit. The captain tried to explain that Mathew looked quite happy with his life, but the people wouldn’t listen. In later images, the quince has become a mirror, a symbol of heartlessness and vanity, which rather twists the original meaning. In the medieval period, it was a common Cornish custom to perform 'miracle plays', in which the mermaid was used to represent the dual nature of Christ; just as the mermaid was both fish and human, Christ was both God and man. Many years ago, when people still believed in ghosts and monsters, a mysterious woman came to visit the church of Zennor. She had long, blonde hair and wore beautiful clothes, much nicer than all the people of the village. Whenever they sang songs in church, she had the most beautiful voice, and everyone else sang quietly so they could hear her better.

The Doom Bar and the Mermaid of Padstow

William Bottrell, Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second Series (Beare and Son, Penzance, 1873). BOSAVERN FARM SHOP - a not-for-profit Social Enterprise run on Wholesome Food Association principles by a community of employees, members and volunteers. Great for organic fresh vegetables and eggs. However, it is unclear what the connection is between these ancient gods and the mermaids that were reported by European sailors from around the 15th century onwards. But sightings, genuine sightings, were at one time pretty common in Cornwall. The Real Matthew Trewhella