Cornwall is a land of fast changing weathers, a sunny day can change to a hailstorm or a thick mist can suddenly descend. Always take a raincoat with you on a Cornish walk for fierce winds and wet weather come out of nowhere…or do they?
Some storms are made by weather women. On Bodmin Moor the Old Storm Woman stirs up the winds of the moor with her weather stirrer deep in the middle of Dozmary Pool, and the Old Sky Woman plucks feathers to sprinkle a snow storm. The demon Tregeagle brings wild winds to Bodmin Moor, where folk say a storm ‘Howls like Tregeagle’.
Coastal witches have the power to conjure storms. Wind witches sell knotted ropes to control the winds, Madgy Figgy the wrecker witch concocts sea storms at Gwennap Head, swirling up huge waves to wreck ships to loot.
The Devil can bring a storm, a devil of a storm. Bucca Dhu arrives from the sea at Newlyn in a storm and ruins the sea’s temperament for fishing, perhaps he whipped up the storm plaguing nearby Mousehole starving the fisherfolk. When thwarted the Devil often departs in a sulk as a storm gathers about him, and lightning forks the sky: thunderous smoke billows from his cloak and Old Nick flies away.
Storms set the scene for many tales of ghosts and shipwrecks: the Spectral Bridegroom arrives on his horse in a terrifying storm to take poor Nancy Trenoweth away. Cornish storms can be some scary. A pig running around the town square with straw in it’s mouth is a sure sign a storm is coming, as is a kettle with it’s spout turned inwards.
