The Mermaid of Zennor

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The only person Lilac feels able to trust is her older brother, Jesse, but she has not seen him in what seems an eternity. He moved away from their small Cornish village two months prior to attend a university in the bustling capital of the country, London. The Mermaid of Zennor ( Cornish: An Vorvoren a Senar) is a popular Cornish folk tale that was first recorded by the Cornish folklorist William Bottrell in 1873. The legend has inspired works of poetry, literature and art. The St Ives Mermaid has been known to appear at events and festivals around Cornwall, but you can also hire her yourself, whether you want a mythical guest star at your event or you want to embark on an underwater experience yourself – who hasn’t wanted to be a mermaid for a day?! To the left of the south porch is a plaque to John Davey (d. 1891) said to be the last person to have a real working knowledge of the Cornish language. Natives of Mousehole, on the south coast, may like to point out that Dolly Pentreath (d. 1777), who is buried at Paul church just outside Mousehole, was the last person to speak Cornish as her native language, but let's not split hairs!

A variety of fish-tailed gods were worshipped by the first civilisations of the Middle East. The earliest known of these was Oannes, Lord of the Waters, who appeared some 7000 years ago. There are also fish-tailed gods in one form or another found in the legends and beliefs of countries as diverse as India, China, Japan and Greece.

Which came first?

Others claim that on a summer’s evening, you can sometimes hear singing coming from the cave, believed to be the two lovers singing while the waves crash in. I first saw the Mermaid Chair when I was a teenager in the 1990s. At the time I was just discovering my passion for our unique and quirky Cornish culture. Now, some twenty-five years later the chair has lost none of its mystery or its ability to stir the imagination. Visitors are drawn to Zennor Church from all over the world by the legend of the Zennor Mermaid and by the magical story of the ancient Mermaid Chair. Mathy Trewhella, my husband, of course,” she said. “Now haul away, if you please.” The captain did not stay to argue, but brought up the anchor immediately. And with a swish from her long gleaming tail she was gone, diving down to the sea-bed and her family. Not only is Lamorna home to one of the most beautiful Cornish coves, but it's long been known to house a mermaid or two. As with Padstow, the stories surrounding this stunning cove and its mystical inhabitants vary, but with an overarching theme of treachery. I have to admit to always having a deep fascination with the Mermaid of Zennor – I’m not calling it a myth, as it could be true … couldn’t it?

Some stories say that it was love at first sight between the unknown woman and Mathew, while others say that it was their equally enthralling voices that sparked the romance, as it was said that Mathew had the best singing voice in the village. However it happened, after their first meeting, Mathew followed his love home and was never seen again. Carve means to use a knife in wood to make shapes out of it. So you might carve a pipe, a bird or a toy out of wood. You can also carve your name into a tree, for example. Some people like to carve the name of themselves and their lover into a tree and carve a heart around it. On Halloween, people carve faces into pumpkins, and on Thanksgiving or at Christmas, people carve turkeys, they cut up turkeys, and eat them. While this tale again reminds people to treat mermaids with the utmost respect for fear of retribution, at least this time we got a lovely beach out of it! The Tinners Arms is a great place to grab a bite to eat with a large number of local ingredients, such as fish from local fishermen and meat from the fields around Zennor. They also have Moomaid of Zennor Ice-cream that is made nearby at Tremedda farm. William Bottrell, Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Cornwall, Second Series (Beare and Son, Penzance, 1873).The "mermaid chair" at St. Senara's Church can be seen to this day, and together with the accompanying legend, is one of the popular attractions mentioned in tourist guides to Cornwall. [3] The story of the mermaid is retold in later collections of Cornish folklore, generally following the original accounts collected by Bottrell. [4] In The Fabled Coast, the "mermaid chair" is described as a fifteenth-century carving. Kingshill and Westwood suppose that the bench itself inspired the legend, rather than the other way around, as the villagers related. [5] There are many reasons as to why there might have been a mermaid carved into a chair at a church, as mermaids represented two things to medieval Christians. They were thought to be a symbol of lust, due to their connection with the Greek goddess Aphrodite, and they were also thought to be an illustration of Jesus Christ, because of their fish-human form, for, just as mermaids are both human-like and fish-like, Jesus can be both human and divine. [6] Adaptations [ edit ] Senara, a Cornish saint, is thought to have given birth to the name Zennor. Those who have a Cornish or love Cornwall will find the name appealing. Because it has a unique and intriguing meaning, it’s an excellent name for parents who want to give their children a name that they can be proud of. Does Zennor Have A Beach?

The carving in ancient oak shows a long haired woman with curvaceous figure. Instead of legs she has a scaly tail with fins on either side. In one hand she holds a comb and in other a disc-like object thought to be a mirror. In 2014 singer/songwriter Martha Tilston released her album The Sea featuring the song "Mermaid of Zennor". Zennor folks tell the following story, which, according to them, accounts for a singular carving on a bench-end in their Church. Hundreds of years ago a very beautiful and richly attired lady attended service in Zennor Church occasionally—now and then she went to Morvah also; —her visits were by no means regular, —often long intervals would elapse between them. She took some notice of a fine young man, called Mathey Trewella, who was the best singer in the parish. He once followed her, but he never returned; after that she was never more seen in Zennor Church, and it might not have been known to this day who or what she was but for the merest accident.The legend lives on – one of Cornwall’s most famous literary sons, Charles Causley wrote the poem, The Mermaid of Zennor, and everyone from Brenda Wootton and Seth Lakeman to Martha Tilston and Hazel Simmons have sung folk versions of the tale. Zennor does not have a beach. The nearest beach is in St. Ives, about 4 miles away. Dogs Enjoy The Beach Too! In 2014 indie band The Hit Parade released the rather excellent album Cornish Pop Songs featuring the song, Zennor Mermaid. The legend of the fish-tailed beauty stems from a piece of furniture in the church. The Mermaid’s Chair, which is thought to be over 600 years old, features a carving of a mermaid holding a mirror and a comb.