Ghosts of Talland Bay
Ghosts of Talland Bay. At this point we've left Talland Bay and the very nice beachside cafe, a lovely cuppa too and much needed after the first half of our dusty hike! Now headed up the next hill en route to Polperro, there are certainly an awful lot of ascents and descents on this hike. I decided to stop for a breather (very hot day!) and took this shot of the bay, the colours of the bay were gorgeous. You can just make out the coastal path and Talland Church on the cliff tops. West Looe, our starting point, is somewhere way over yonder hill! :)
Cornwall has its fair share of tales regarding headless horsemen, demons and smugglers. Talland Church is a place of peace & tranquility but also a place of ghost stories! A Grade 1 listed building with parts dating back to the 13th century. You can just see the tower of the church if you zoom in. This part of Cornwall had trading links with the Mediterranean and it is said that Jesus visited Looe, accompanying his uncle, Phoenician tin trader Joseph of Arimathea. I think Jesus should have stayed, he'd have been much happier living in Cornwall.
A few ghostly and interesting tales!
In past times, the church was also famed for its eccentric vicar, the Rev Richard Dodge, I'll bet a pound to a penny he was called Dickie the Dodger! At the start of the eighteenth century he was a renowned exorcist, and was often to be seen leaping around the churchyard at night, cracking a whip around the headstones to drive away evil spirits. It's been suggested that perhaps the clergyman's eccentricities were actually cultivated to keep prowlers away from the churchyard while the smugglers were bringing in their illegal cargo.
This one is the tale of the Desperate Horseman. His cart has been seen racing down the lanes and past the church, then around the bay on its fateful journey to the nearby harbour town of Polperro. The rider is thought to be fleeing the customs men who were in hot pursuit. This smuggler was carrying an illegal bounty of rum and was shot several times, the man was dead before arriving at his destination, but the horse raced on, over the edge of the harbour wall and into the depths below.
Apparently, cries and sobs from a woman have also been heard from various visitors entering Talland church. Perhaps she's a relative of the Desperate Horseman or the wife of the late Rev Dodge, who knows! :)
I do feel sorry for that horse, fancy having to gallop up a hill for all eternity, poor thing!
Route detaills for you walkers out there.
Start from Crumplehorn car park, Polperro, South East Cornwall or from West Looe - Hannafore Road, free parking.
Difficulty - Moderate ( all depends on how hot it is if you ask me!)
Time 2 hours 30 mins
Distance 5.5 miles (8.8 km)
Map Explorer 107
Dogs allowed, Dog friendly
Have a lovely day everyone :))
Ghosts of Talland Bay
Ghosts of Talland Bay. At this point we've left Talland Bay and the very nice beachside cafe, a lovely cuppa too and much needed after the first half of our dusty hike! Now headed up the next hill en route to Polperro, there are certainly an awful lot of ascents and descents on this hike. I decided to stop for a breather (very hot day!) and took this shot of the bay, the colours of the bay were gorgeous. You can just make out the coastal path and Talland Church on the cliff tops. West Looe, our starting point, is somewhere way over yonder hill! :)
Cornwall has its fair share of tales regarding headless horsemen, demons and smugglers. Talland Church is a place of peace & tranquility but also a place of ghost stories! A Grade 1 listed building with parts dating back to the 13th century. You can just see the tower of the church if you zoom in. This part of Cornwall had trading links with the Mediterranean and it is said that Jesus visited Looe, accompanying his uncle, Phoenician tin trader Joseph of Arimathea. I think Jesus should have stayed, he'd have been much happier living in Cornwall.
A few ghostly and interesting tales!
In past times, the church was also famed for its eccentric vicar, the Rev Richard Dodge, I'll bet a pound to a penny he was called Dickie the Dodger! At the start of the eighteenth century he was a renowned exorcist, and was often to be seen leaping around the churchyard at night, cracking a whip around the headstones to drive away evil spirits. It's been suggested that perhaps the clergyman's eccentricities were actually cultivated to keep prowlers away from the churchyard while the smugglers were bringing in their illegal cargo.
This one is the tale of the Desperate Horseman. His cart has been seen racing down the lanes and past the church, then around the bay on its fateful journey to the nearby harbour town of Polperro. The rider is thought to be fleeing the customs men who were in hot pursuit. This smuggler was carrying an illegal bounty of rum and was shot several times, the man was dead before arriving at his destination, but the horse raced on, over the edge of the harbour wall and into the depths below.
Apparently, cries and sobs from a woman have also been heard from various visitors entering Talland church. Perhaps she's a relative of the Desperate Horseman or the wife of the late Rev Dodge, who knows! :)
I do feel sorry for that horse, fancy having to gallop up a hill for all eternity, poor thing!
Route detaills for you walkers out there.
Start from Crumplehorn car park, Polperro, South East Cornwall or from West Looe - Hannafore Road, free parking.
Difficulty - Moderate ( all depends on how hot it is if you ask me!)
Time 2 hours 30 mins
Distance 5.5 miles (8.8 km)
Map Explorer 107
Dogs allowed, Dog friendly
Have a lovely day everyone :))