| Kernow: Land of Myths |
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Page 2 of 8 Legend To be in these places, in such conditions provides at least some inkling of why pagan custom, ghost stories and myths endure in Kernow where they have been forgotten elsewhere. There is – quite simply – an atmosphere that is, yes, undeniably romantic, yet tinged with dark shadows, something that has not been sterilized by the hand of science or modernity. Paradoxically, this atmosphere is as tangible and real as it is elusive and difficult to define. Suffice to say, Kernow is a place where history, custom, landscape, long held beliefs and the people’s love of a good story, conspire to keep myths alive. The myths and legends of Kernow could fill several volumes; there simply isn’t the room to list them here. So I’ve included the ones that caught my imagination and which represent the major ‘types’ of story, some of which are well known, others less so. You can easily find books about them, but as well as reading, I would urge anyone with an interest to go and visit the location of a particular story or myth. Lost lands Kernow has two notable legends of this type. Firstly there is the land of Lyonesse; Kernow’s own version of the Atlantis story. Lyonesse was believed to be a ‘bridge’ of land connecting modern day Penwith with the Scilly Isles. Lyonesse was a seat of civilisation and culture, all of which was lost when it suddenly, and inexplicably, sank beneath the waves sometime in the dark ages. It is said that if you stand upon the cliffs towards land’s End the bells of Lyonesse can still be heard ringing out from the deep. Over the centuries fishermen have brought in artefacts and items so perhaps the legend has some basis in truth. Even more plausible is the legend of the Isle of Ictis. It is well known that the Phoenicians and other ancient civilisations came to Kernow trading for tin; records of such trade go back as far as the 4th Century BC. The centre of such trade was an off shore island named as Ictis by the Romans. But it had another title also, City of Books. Nobody knows why exactly, but perhaps it is because the various civilisations that came to Kernow brought volumes of knowledge. St Michael’s Mount near Penzance has been cited as the most probable location of Ictis. |
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