Tregeagle 4: Padstow

Tregeagle gets sandy hands

After Tregeagle left Roche the Abbot of Bodmin arrived with an army of holy men and took Tregeagle to the River Camel where his task was to spin ropes of sand. He toiled all day never daring to pause for fear of the devil and his hounds growling.

Every time he had spun a good length of sand, the tide came in and washed it away and Tregeagle screamed in anguish but he had to go on. Just as he had finished weaving a particularly strong sandy rope a great storm bounded in from the Atlantic, whipped up by the devil. 

The people of Padstow started to leave the town in great numbers on account of the spirit’s frustrated and unbearable wailing. Hearing of this, St. Petroc came to Padstow’s aid. He made a chain with links of prayers to shackle Tregeagle and took him to the Loe estuary, near Helston.

Location
Padstow
Area
Type of place
Co-ordinates

50.557288, -4.946811

Retold by
Source
Collector
Date collected (approx)
1865
Date story set (approx)
17C
Theme