STORIES OF THE STONES. by Sharon Tregenza

 STORIES OF THE STONES

On my latest trip "home" to Cornwall to see family, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the ancient stones and monuments that intrigued me as a child.

The weather was iffy too - not beach time for sure so we took a trip up onto the moors.

Lanyon Quoit was first. 

It's one of a number of quoits in West Penwith. It was probably designed as a repository for bones of the dead. There's a deep spiritual history associated with these stones and supposedly shamans would assemble there to consult with the spirits of their dead ancestors in trance journeys. On a bleak, windy, overcast, afternoon that was easy to imagine. 

On to Men an Tol

Men an Tol is believed to have belonged to the bronze age. It consists of four stones, the most memorable is the circular and pierced upright stone. It has a strong place in local folklore and magical powers are attributed to it. It is supposed to aid back pain and in the past children with rickets were passed through the hole to be cured. It is associated with fertility too and its powers were sought by childless women. I remember crawling through the stone with ease as a kid but didn't dare try it now.

The rain had eased so we completed the day with a long walk across a blustery Botallack cliffs. A stunning piece of coastline dotted with old tin mine workings.

There are plenty more interesting stones to see. We'll visit some of those next time.

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PISKIES, MERMAIDS AND GIANTS by Sharon Tregenza

I recently published a small educational book with OUP based on a Cornish myth. This triggered a long-time wish to delve deeper into the folklore and legends that were a part of my upbringing. Cornwall has a rich heritage of stories and superstitions. I got really engrossed with the research (for engrossed read obsessed) and ended up with three huge folders crammed full of stories of mermaids, witches, giants and much, much more.

 

It's wonderful stuff. Here's a taster...

 

PISKIES, MERMAIDS AND GIANTS

PISKIES: mischievous little creatures known for dancing and playfulness. Their leader is Joan the Wad. They supposedly inhabit stone circles and ancient barrows. As a kid I convinced myself that I saw several of these little folk in the wood near our house.

MERMAIDS: Probably the most famous Cornish mermaid is the mermaid of Zennor who's wonderful singing lured a local man, Mathew Trewhella, away from the village never to be seen again. I claim a sort of kinship to this particular mermaid - my mother was a Trewhella. 

GIANTS: If you've been to Cornwall you'll know St Michael's Mount - the tidal island off Cornwall's southern coast with the fairy-tale castle on top. It's said that the giant, Cormoron, carried white granite from the mainland to build it. If you walk up to the castle you'll see a heart-shaped stone on the pathway. It's all that's left of the giant - if you stand still and listen carefully, you'll hear it beat. As an eight-year old I knew I heard the thrum of the giant's blood.

I'm not sure yet what I want to do with this treasure trove. Maybe take  the legends as they stand and adapt them for children. Maybe incorporate the mythical stories into contemporary MG fiction. Maybe both. In the meantime, I need to stop researching - but it's so addictive isn't it. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE.

www.sharontregenza.com

Email: sharontregenza@gmail.com

BURIED ALIVE - by Sharon Tregenza

When I saw a news article about a man in Florida who was buried alive in a sink hole - it resurrected a childhood fear.

Florida, sink hole.

I was born and raised in West Cornwall, where talk of collapsing mine shafts was commonplace. For a time my ten-year old self was haunted by the possibility of the earth opening up beneath me. I would lie awake imagining the ground under our house was honeycombed with caves and tunnels - a rocky swiss cheese waiting to crumble and swallow me alive. On walks I'd cast nervous glances at my feet.

Cornwall, mine collapse.

Cornwall, mine collapse.

When the tin mines closed, in most cases, they were simply capped with timbers from the mine. These timbers eventually rot, so the shafts collapse. It's estimated that there are more than 15,000 mine shafts in Cornwall some 200 years old and many not shown on any map.

Only last year my daughter and I were prevented from visiting my father in Truro Hospital when a hole opened up on the A30 at Scorrier. For a while the whole area was cordoned off. 

A30 - Mine shaft collapses January 2015

The local newspapers had fun with this one though. The headlines the next day read: "Police look into A30 hole on National Pothole Day" and it didn't take long for the comedians to come up with this solution and post it on social media:

I put this childhood fear into a book. It begins with a catastrophic mine collapse. After my editor's comment that the mother's horrible death was perhaps "a little much" for the age group, I rescued her and placed her in a coma for the rest of the story.

Two children are trapped underground in a labyrinth of tunnels and old mine workings. I added an Aztec sacrificial knife with a blood lust, an adorable rat, a holy well and called it "The Jewelled Jaguar".  That's what I call using your fears to advantage. 

www.sharontregenza.com