| Kernow: Land of Myths |
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Page 8 of 8 Arthur, Dozmary Pool and the Tregeagles Son of Uther Pendragon, Lord of the Britons, Arthur is more than a mere legend he’s a universally acclaimed hero and archetype of mythology. Many parts of the British Isles lay claim to the Arthurian legend but Kernow has more claim than most if only by sheer weight of the stories and places whose names are associated with the ‘once and future King.’ We all know of Tintagel of course, renowned as the birthplace of the King and chief contender for the genuine site of Camelot. But what about Slaughterbridge where Arthur fought his last battle against Mordred, Dozmary Pool where Beldivere was sent to return Excalibur to the lady of the lake, or Boscastle where Arthur was carried on to a barge to take him to Avalon? With so much heritage it is unsurprising that Arthur became a hero to the Kernowans over the centuries and in local folklore at least, it was believed that he would one day return to free the people from the yoke of England’s rule. Aside from the Arthurian connection, Dozmary Pool south of Bolventor has its own story to tell… Jan Tregeagle was land steward to the Lord of Lanhydrock, responsible for collecting rent from the Lord’s tenants. But in the course of his duties Jan got greedy. He both extorted extra rent from the tenants and robbed from his master. As is the way with folklore tales he didn’t get away with it. For penance he is believed to be chased across the moors by the devil and his hunting hounds, or else to spend eternity performing endless tasks for his true ‘master,’ including baling out Dozmary Pool, which was believed to be bottomless. Intriguingly, in the tale of Jan Tregeagle history and myth meet. The ghost of Jan may well be a composite of several members, even generations of an unpopular and unjust family. In the storytelling, perhaps the folk of the moor looked for the justice that was not provided in life. Chris Vick  Remains of mining at Bottallack. Picture by Kelly Hancock. |
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