The Paranormal Database

Reginald Bottrell

Location: St Ives - Carn Glaze
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1832
Further Comments: Bottrell was a local pirate and rogue, and after he died, took to haunting his former home. A twelve year old child watched the entity for about a minute before it vanished, describing the ghost as short, plump and bald, wearing a long velvet coat and shoes tied with a bow.

Hugh Edwards

Location: St Ives - Globe Inn (aka Tap House), no longer operational
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: Once the residence of the Edwards family, the inn was said to be haunted by Hugh, who accidentally rode his horse down an open mine shaft at night. The ghost would be heard walking loudly up the staircase and using his riding crop to strike thrice on a bedroom door.

Well Dressed Lady

Location: St Ives - John Knill's House, Fore Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: A room in this building was sealed off to prevent the inhabitants disturbing the ghost of a wealthy lady that lurked within.

Jack Harry's Lights

Location: St Ives - Off coast
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Prior to a storm
Further Comments: Reputedly named after the first person to mistake the lights for a real ship, the lights appear and attempt to lure other vessels out to sea to be caught up in an impending storm.

Howlers

Location: St Ives - Old Market House (demolished 1830s, rebuilt on same spot)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1830s
Further Comments: Once used to hold prisoners, the Market House became known for their ghosts which would howl when the sun descended. The ghosts were banished by a local ghost layer who, armed with bell, book and candle, performed his exorcism through a window.

Drowned Sailor

Location: St Ives - Outside the White Hart public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Early nineteenth century, between midnight and 01:00h
Further Comments: On his way to a boat, a local man spotted a sailor standing by a post close to the pub. The man at first greeted the sailor, but being ignored, threw an insult at him. The sailor turned to face the man, who then realised that the sailor's beard was caked in seaweed and sticks, and his face and hands swollen. The man quickly walked away, but the sailor followed, only vanishing when the man reached his destination. The following day, the man fell ill, and was bedridden for six months.

Plethora of Pilchards

Location: St Ives - Pressing stones (one currently outside Museum) around the town
Type: Other
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Large pressing stones, like the one outside the museum, were once a common feature around the town, and used to press oil from pilchards. If seen or heard to move unaided while being stored, it was considered an omen good fishing was ahead.

Young Man

Location: St Ives - Private residence opposite parish church (no longer standing)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Likely nineteenth century
Further Comments: The haunting in the ancient house which once stood here began after the owner's son died in a mining accident - the young man manifested by his father's bedside. After the owner moved away, bangs and laughter continued to be heard from the house. The ghost disappeared after the building was renovated.

Young White Girl

Location: St Ives - Smeaton's Nook Cottage
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Dressed in a Victorian smock, this phantom girl was seen to emerge from a wall and drift down the staircase.

St Ives Head, Cornwall.

Neptune

Location: St Ives - St Ives Head
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The old sailing ship Neptune has been reported off the coast many times. It is also believed that before the Neptune sank here, the area was haunted by another unnamed ghost ship. Phantom bells have also been reported coming from the deep waters.

Former Resident

Location: St Ives - Woolworths (no longer open)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This store was said to be haunted by a former resident of the building.

Dancing People

Location: St Just - Carn Gluze barrow
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Traditionally the homes of fairies, this barrow is one of many in the area and the little people have been seen dancing around it.

Galloping

Location: St Just - Road between St Just & Tregeseal
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Stormy weather
Further Comments: The sounds of horses pulling a carriage have been reported coming from this stretch of road during stormy nights.

Sky Ships

Location: St Just - Skies over town
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: October 1754
Further Comments: Witnesses watched a fleet of ships in the sky above the area - soon after, this vision vanished and was replaced by two armies engaged in action. The whole scene lasted for around fifteen minutes.

No Mine

Location: St Keverne - General area
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: When St Keverne lived here, he was shown little respect by the locals. The saint cursed the area with 'No metal will run within the sound of St. Keverne's bells'. Hence, no mines were ever discovered within the area.

Missing Lover

Location: St Levan - Hella Point, overlooking the sea
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Waiting for her lover who was lost at sea, this young lass mysteriously vanished one night, only to reappear as a spectre soon after.

An old woodcut of a ship with sails bellowing.

Ship at Full Sail

Location: St Levan - Line between coast and Porthcurno
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This ghostly galleon heads towards the shore at full sail, and then continues to move overland before slowly fading from view before reaching the village of Porthcurno.

Blocked Door

Location: St Levan - Pendower Cove
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Having just dropped anchor in the bay, the captain of a ship was surprised when a mermaid stuck her head out of the sea and asked if the anchor could be moved, as it had landed on the entrance to her home. The captain was happy to comply.

End of the World

Location: St Levan - St Levan's Stone, in village churchyard
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: St Levan hit this rock with his bare hands and broke it in two large pieces. He declared that when the gap grew big enough to let a horse through, the world would come to an end. In another part of the graveyard, one can find the tombstone of Captain Wetherel, who can be heard ringing his ship's bell from within his coffin.

A devil hacks a field with a scythe. Woodcut, circa 1700-1720.

Mowing Contest

Location: St Mabyn - Exact location not known
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Devil and the village smith had a hay mowing contest in the village. Unbeknown to Old Nick, the smith planted obstacles (most likely iron stakes) in the Devil's half of the field, ensuring the Devil's scythe quickly became blunt. Enraged, Old Nick threw his whetstone at the smith - it missed and landed in a field where it remained for some time before being removed.

An old postcard of St Mawgan in Cornwall.

Moved

Location: St Mawgan - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: During construction, the Devil moved the stones each night to where the church now stands.

RAF St Mawgan, Cornwall.

Large Black Puma

Location: St Mawgan - RAF St Mawgan
Type: ABC
Date / Time: April 2004
Further Comments: Military surveillance equipment was set up around the airbase following several reports of a large black cat seen on the site. A spokesperson said that the RAF would make 'every possible attempt to ensure it is captured humanely'. Even though a professional tracker was called in, the creature was never caught.

The castle, circa 1902

Four Poster Bed

Location: St Michael's Mount - Castle
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Still present?
Further Comments: A four poster bed in the castle is reported to be cursed - any child who sleeps in it never wakes up.

Engraving from 1804.

Cormoran

Location: St Michael's Mount - General area
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The mount was once home to this legendary beast (named by some as a seven foot giant), thought to have a single eye. It crossed to the mainland at low tide, helping itself to cattle for its food.

Horned Figure

Location: St Neot - Area around Hobbs Hill
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Varies - see main text
Further Comments: An antlered figure of a man has been spotted in a nearby lane twice, once in 1998 and the other during the mid-1940s. ABCs have also been reported in the area and were last spotted in 2004 (even though sheep were attacked and eaten by a large carnivore in 2005). A pack of dogs were seen in 1992, which metamorphosed into falling leaves, and finally a farmer in the 1960s observed two elderly figures in old fashioned clothing standing by the edge of a field - they disappeared when the farmer climbed out of his tractor to speak to them.