Cornish 15th Century Chapel & Holy Well

It was a dull, damp day but I decided to walk to Menacuddle, where there is a small chapel and  holy well. When I arrived at my destination all was quiet, with no one else about - perfect!

I snapped a few quick photos as I walked. The White River and the waterfall always fascinate me. The whiteness comes from the local china clay.

Looking back over the waterfall, to the right of the next photo, a chair can be seen. This is full size and is made of granite. It is known as the Druids Chair and sometimes even as King Arthur's seat.

The next two photos show the small 'chapel'. Visitors have left flowers.

The Chapel dates back to the 15th century and is now a Grade II listed building.  It is aligned east-west with the east wall built against the natural rock face. 

I followed the White River, there was a dampness in the air.

Water ahead but ...

... be careful as the water can be quite deep.

I took a different route on the way back but the river came with me.

Green topped water.

As the rain was determined to continue I was soon looking down on the waterfall once more.

The old bridge on the way out of Menacuddle.

Below is a newish part of Menacuddle, quite pleasant but a little too neat and organised for my taste. 

The rain started getting heavier so I made my way homeward bound.

As I walked I did stop when there were glimpses of the White River making it's way to the sea.

This post taken from my other blog : 

Mike's Cornwall

The Old French Postcard Coincidence From 1900

Strange isn't it? One 1900 Paris Postcard, showing the Tribunal de Commerce and the Palais de Justice, comes along - and then, like London buses, another follows straight away behind.

But what is stranger still is that the second postcard was sent on the 10th of April 1900 to a Henry Arondel and by 'coincidence' the French painter Henry Arondel just happened to die on the very same date.

And I found an up to date photo of the identical scene as the postcards taken from the very same spot. The only difference appears to be that there were many more people on the bridge back in 1900.

Many Say that the Evil That Men Do Lives After Them

Karin and I walked to a car boot sale and got talking about someone we know. As we entered the car park, where the sale was being held, I said, "The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with their bones."

I know, I know, a little pretentious but it seemed to fit what we were talking about - and I was once a bit of a Shakespearean actor. Okay, the last bit is a fib. The only time I've actually been on stage was during my school days. I remember my last role well as I was the Gay Youth. This was at a time when 'gay' only meant being carefree and happy! My friend played the part of the Sombre Youth - deep stuff. We were massive hits - all right, second fib.

I digress.

There wasn't much to interest me at the sale but I bought a paperback, titled The Shakespeare Secret, for 20p. As it was likened to the Da Vinci Code on the cover I thought it might be an easy holiday read.

As I opened the book I saw that on a page prior to the first chapter was the same quote I had said to Karin - see below. This was another reason why I bought the book, the synchronicity bell sounded.

When I got home I absentmindedly opened the book and there on page 436 was the very same quote again.

So I guess there must be something relevant for me in these words. Though I'm not sure what. In fact I feel that sometimes it's the bad that is interred, rather than the good.

It's still mentioned, for instance, how Jimmy Savile (remember him!) raised millions - up to $56 million - for charity and was knighted by the Queen; but let's hope it's never forgotten that he was also a rampant paedophile who molested hundreds of children. This only came to light after his death.

The Shakespeare quote is from Julius Caesar, I remember the speech as I had to learn it for English Literature exams when at school. 

What I didn't know was that Julius Caesar was performed at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York in 1864. Mark Antony was played by John Wilkes Booth and his brother, Edwin Booth, played Brutus, and their brother Junius Brutus Booth Jr was Cassius. The coincidence about this is that a few months later John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln, supposedly with the cry, "Sic semper tyrannis" (thus always to tyrants). This was also attributed to Brutus at Caesar's assassination.

William Oxberry wrote similar words to Shakespeare: "Because it is a truth and a melancholy truth that the good things which men do are often buried in the ground while their evil deeds are stripped naked, and exposed to the world."

Personally, when I look back on the lives of people close to me who have died all I remember is the good. Some things no doubt are best forgotten.

A Short, Snappy Coincidence From Karen.

A short, snappy coincidence from Karen.

My biggest coincidence is from about 20 years ago. My name is Karen and I live in Michigan (USA), and I met another Karen who lived about a block away from us.

We got to talking, and over a few weeks time we realized that we had both lived in the same house while growing up in Minnesota (about 600 miles away).

Her family lived there before our family did.

Not sure that it really meant anything, but it was very interesting!

~ Karen

A Wrong Righted By A Coincidence

A coincidence sent to me by Paul which illustrates how wrongs sometimes can be righted - with the helping hand of a coincidence.

"I had a girlfriend, Lisa, during the summer between Freshman and Sophomore year in college. I went back to college, then returned for Thanksgiving and had one more date with her. Then I broke up with her via a letter in December (a huge mistake, but that's another story).

I was back in St. Louis 12 years later. I visited a book store in a mall about six miles from my parents' home. I visited the book store perhaps once every five years. When I went to stand in line to pay, there was Lisa, right in front of me! I asked her how often she visited the book store, which was even further from her home. She said that she had never been there before. We had dinner that evening and I apologized for breaking up with her so impersonally."

~ Paul

Messages From The Dead Via White Doves, White Feathers And Butterflies

Following on from all of those other posts about white feathers, white doves and butterflies as witnessed following a loved one departing this world, here are two more readers experiences. Both wish to remain anonymous.

"I lost my mum in 2007, I was with her when she passed away.

A few days later there was a gorgeous white feather on my doorstep. Unsure, I asked my neighbour what this could mean. She told me I had been visited by an angel. The feather is still in my Bible to this day. It's not a seagull feather, nor any other known bird in this area. It's a beautiful white downy fluffy feather and I still have it! xx"

"A few years ago my life changed forever. My husband showed up at my office with tears streaming down his face telling me my brother passed away. I remember him driving me home. We sat outside taking it all in, and waiting on phone calls from other family members to make driving/flying arrangements to his town (10 hours away).

I was beyond devastation when a beautiful butterfly flew directly in between us. It hovered for probably a whole minute, circled around my head and then circled around my husband's head and then flew away.

We were actually crying and laughing, as this was clearly miraculous.

On our very long drive to the funeral I took with me my books on Angels and connecting with loved ones who have passed away.

While engrossed in my book, a few hours into the trip, I was startled by the loudest sound I've ever heard. Something slammed into the windshield - we were travelling at 70 miles an hour.

I asked my husband, "What was that?"

He said (as we were pulling off the highway into a gas station), "A white dove came out of nowhere and hit our windshield!"

The craziest part is it left no blood, no feathers, just this white powder that made the most beautiful image of a perfect angel wing. It was as fine as flour, dusted lightly on our windshield. I actually took my finger and touched it in amazement.

Has anyone else ever been hit by a dove? I'd like to think the dove didn't die but, at 70 mph, how could it not."

The Coincidence That The House He Bought Was Built By His Ancestor

I think today's coincidence or synchronicity story is quite remarkable and on several layers. See what you think.

Douglas Hunter lived in Australia but his family had been in New Zealand for at least five generations. He met and fell in love with Ros, a girl from England. They became partners and consequently had two children.

When Ros was pregnant, with their third child, the couple decided they would move to England. They agreed to settle somewhere in Suffolk, near to where Ros's parents lived.

Ros went on ahead to look for somewhere they could call home. One of the places she saw was an old disused chapel. It was for sale and was ripe for conversion into a family home. The chapel was in Rendham near to Aldeburgh in their chosen county of Suffolk.

Ros said, "I was pregnant and jet lagged but I thought it was wonderful. I loved the pillars inside and managed to ignore the problems."

The deal was done to buy the property and Douglas duly arrived from Australia to see what she had bought. He viewed the enormous dilapidated building with holes in the roof, broken windows and rows of pews. He looked at Ros and said one word, "Why?"

Then came what Douglas describes as a spooky surprise.

His mother came over from New Zealand for a visit and was looking through some of the very old documents that had been left in the chapel and made an amazing discovery. She found that the chapel was built with money from one of their ancestors!

As Douglas emphasised, "I didn't know any family connection with Suffolk."

Isaac Watts

His ancestor a Dr Isaac Watts was a wealthy man who was a prolific hymn writer including 'Joy To The World' and ' Our God Our Help In Ages Past'.

The chapel was built back in 1750s from a donation made by Dr Watts and has quite a history. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, made visits in the 18th century. The building was finally deconsecrated in 1979 as the congregation gradually diminished in size.

Douglas and Ros converted the chapel into a wonderful five bedroom family home in which to bring up their children.

How strange that Douglas should meet Ros, a girl from Suffolk - where there just happened to be a link to his ancestors. Some links appear never to be broken.

A Love Letter Received From Beyond the Grave

A story today from a widow who wishes to remain anonymous. She feels that the letter concerned was received from beyond the grave, for want of a better expression. Perhaps you have a different opinion. Here's her story ...

"A few weeks after my husband died, my daughter called to visit me.

We sat together, looking through some photos. I found myself saying: "The one thing I regret is that your father never sent me a love letter. Other widows have letters, sometimes tied up with ribbon, but I have nothing like that."

Just at that precise second, both my daughter and I gave an involuntary. "Oh!" because right before our eyes was an envelope sitting on top of the photographs.

We did not  see it actually materialise, but were certain it had not been there before.

I picked it up. It was dated 43 years previously and was addressed to me in my maiden name. I took the letter out of the envelope. It was indeed a love letter, professing love, 'body and soul' for ever.

I cannot remember ever receiving this letter."

Comforting Messages From Dead Loved Ones

Messages from the dead, can this in any way be possible? Many think so though, in fairness, many completely disagree. Here are a couple of examples, can they possibly be messages from beyond the grave?

My late grandfather was such a lovely, gentle, kind man.

When he passed on in 1991, I was devastated. For some inexplicable reason I instinctively switched on every light in the house for the first few nights afterwards.

One night, while sitting by the fire, I glanced up and there in front of me was the impression of light - the brilliance way beyond any word I can speak or write.

I immediately thought: "Grandad!" And then it was gone. Without even thinking I switched off all the 'extra' lights and felt the most amazing feeling of peace.

~ Annette Borril

My husband, Wyn, died on July 5, ten weeks short of our golden wedding anniversary. On returning home late one morning, I found a message had been left on my answer phone. The message was very short, it said: "How are you?" The voice was that of my dead husband.

The message is still saved on the answer phone, and friends and colleagues of my husband's confirmed - without me prompting - that it is his voice.

~ Jackie Roberts

The True Story Of The Fanny Scratching Ghost Of Cock Lane

1800s Illustration of where 'Scratching Fanny' was heard in Cock Lane

The story of the Cock Lane Ghost began back in 1760, in a house near to London's famous Smithfield market and just along from St Paul's Cathedral. Cock Lane still exists today.

William Kent, a stockbroker, rented a house from the parish clerk, Richard Parsons. The arrangement was fine until 1762 when Kent's wife died and he began to court her sister, Fanny, who soon became his 'housekeeper'.

Miss Fanny and Mr Kent sealed their love by making wills and naming each other as beneficiaries. Shortly following this Kent and Parsons fell out following a disagreement over money, so Kent moved out of the property and began legal proceedings against Parsons. As this turmoil was happening Fanny fell sick and died of smallpox.

With Fanny dead Parsons hatched a cunning plan. He concocted a story saying that Kent had murdered Fanny to get his hands on the inheritance.

Now comes the ghostly bit, which became known as Scratching Fanny.

Parsons made claims that Fanny was now haunting the house in Cock Lane. He alleged that Fanny had come back as a ghost. What's more he said that she had contacted his 12 year old daughter, Elizabeth. Fanny told her that Kent had poisoned her.

The room where Scratching Fanny was heard

The story spread like wildfire and seance's were held in the house. At one time Parsons invited a committee of 20 men to witness Fanny's ghost possessing his young daughter. Elizabeth, under the influence of Fanny, declared once again that she had been poisoned and that the only way she could rest would be if Kent were hanged.

This got the house more publicity and curious people wanted to hear Fanny Scratching. So much so, that Parsons began charging people to come inside to hear the ghostly sounds of knocking and scratching.

Cock Lane sign today

Of course there are always doubters about anything psychic, even back in the 1760s, so an investigation was started. One member of the investigative team being none other than Dr Samuel Johnson. He wrote the following about his experience of a seance held in the Cock Lane house (it's quite long and in the language of the time.)

Dr.Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

"On the night of the 1st of February many gentlemen, eminent for their rank and character were, by the invitation of the Reverend Mr. Aldrich, of Clerkenwell, assembled at his house, for the examination of the noises supposed to be made by a departed spirit, for the detection of some enormous crime.

About ten at night the gentlemen met in the chamber in which the girl, supposed to be disturbed by a spirit, had, with proper caution, been put to bed by several ladies. They sat rather more than an hour, and hearing nothing, went down stairs, when they interrogated the father of the girl, who denied, in the strongest terms, any knowledge or belief of fraud.

The supposed spirit had before publicly promised, by an affirmative knock, that it would attend one of the gentlemen into the vault under the Church of St. John, Clerkenwell, where the body is deposited, and give a token of her presence there, by a knock upon her coffin; it was therefore determined to make this trial of the existence or veracity of the supposed spirit.

While they were enquiring and deliberating, they were summoned into the girl's chamber by some ladies who were near her bed, and who had heard knocks and scratches. When the gentlemen entered, the girl declared that she felt the spirit like a mouse upon her back, and was required to hold her hands out of bed. From that time, though the spirit was very solemnly required to manifest its existence by appearance, by impression on the hand or body of any present, by scratches, knocks, or any other agency, no evidence of any preter-natural power was exhibited.

The spirit was then very seriously advertised that the person to whom the promise was made of striking the coffin, was then about to visit the vault, and that the performance of the promise was then claimed. The company at one o'clock went into the church, and the gentleman to whom the promise was made, went with another into the vault. The spirit was solemnly required to perform its promise, but nothing more than silence ensued: the person supposed to be accused by the spirit, then went down with several others, but no effect was perceived.

Upon their return they examined the girl, but could draw no confession from her. Between two and three she desired and was permitted to go home with her father. It is, therefore, the opinion of the whole assembly, that the child has some art of making or counterfeiting a particular noise, and that there is no agency of any higher cause."

~ Samuel Johnson (1762)

The findings of the investigation meant that Parsons was put on trial for fraud - remember he had been charging people to visit the house and attend seances there. He was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison.

Coincidence Of The First Nuclear Submarine To Execute A Submerged Circumnavigation Of The Earth

USS Triton submarine SSRN/SSN-586

USS Triton (SSRN/SSN-586), a United States Navy nuclear submarine, was the first vessel to execute a submerged circumnavigation of the Earth  - Operation Sandblast - doing so in early 1960, under the command of Captain Edward L. "Ned" Beach, Jr.

There is a coincidence attached to the circumnavigation.

As the submarine was making it's submerged journey it raised periscope in the Philippines' Magellan Bay. On doing so Captain Beach found himself staring into the eyes of a startled fisherman in a canoe!

For a long time, in the 1960s, it was wondered, "Who was the fisherman?" The National Geographic Magazine actually managed to trace him on Mactan island off Cebu. He was, at the time, a 19 year old called Rufino Baring.

Rufino told of how he was terrified when the eye of the huge nuclear submarine unexpectedly broke water and then vanished. He said, "I was tired and thought I was seeing things. But when it came back a second time, I thought it was part of a very big monster and I was frightened. I tried to get away as fast as I could because it started to move very fast."

Rufino paddled frantically for home but didn't tell his family about what he had seen.

The incident was described by Captain Beach in his log:

"Upon raising the periscope. I am looking right into the eyes of a young man in a small canoe, close alongside. Perhaps he has detected the dark bulk of our hull in the relatively clear waters of the bay ...

A few seconds later I motion for the scope to be raised once more. Sure enough there is our friend, impassively leaning on his gunwales and staring right at the periscope as it rises barely two inches out of the water.

It's a ludicrous situation: On the one hand an impassive Asian, staring with curious concentration at an unusual object in the water; on the other a US Navy Officer, equipped with all the technical devices money can procure, looking back with equally studied concentration. On one end of the periscope, an outrigger canoe propelled by the brawny arms of its builder; on the other end a $100,000,000 submarine, the newest, biggest, most powerful in the world, on a history-making cruise.

What an abyss - what centuries of scientific development lie between him and me!"

When Rufino was eventually traced he thought he must have committed some sort of crime and was very relieved to be told otherwise.

He was unaware that his photo had been taken through Triton's periscope. When he was told that he was the only person who saw Triton on it's voyage, the information was greeted simply with an embarrassed smile.

And now for an uncanny coincidence about this story.

In making the voyage, in early 1960, Triton began and ended the circumnavigation from St Peter and St Paul Rocks off Brazil.

Rufino, frightened after his experience, repainted his canoe and added two saints' names to protect it from further meetings with sea monsters. The apostles' names he chose were: St Peter and St Paul! 

The Coincidence Of Meeting 40 Years Later While On Holiday

Morris Van

A coincidence story today - there seem to be a lot about at the moment! This one is from Eric Grant in England : 

My wife and I decided to have a real holiday in 1958, the first since we married.

We'd go in our Morris Minor van-with-windows camping for two weeks, through France, Switzerland and Italy (a 4 ft mattress fit snug in the back!).

The first night we'd booked a hotel in Abbevilla and after dinner walked down the main shopping street. On the opposite pavement we saw someone who looked remarkably like a solicitor friend from home, Geoff Meopham. We decided it couldn't possibly be him, as he didn't appear to recognise us.

Six weeks later, buying petrol, in followed Geoff, and I told him he had a 'double' in France. "You fool," he said, "that was me." Oh dear!

Exactly 40 years later, having lunch in Lanzarote, with our feet dangling in the swimming pool water, in came a man who did look a bit like our old friend (whom we hadn't seen for decades due to moving), though he looked much older.

Without hesitation I rushed over to him and said, "You look remarkably like an old friend, Geoff Meopham from Billericay. This happened 40 years ago and we didn't approach you then, so thought I would now!"

He said, "I'm glad you did, Eric. I've lost my wife so I'm here to try and recuperate. Nice to have someone to talk to for a week!"

What a reunion!

~ Eric Grant

Clairvoyant Predicted Her Own Imminent Death

 

Nell St. John Montague was one of London's best known society clairvoyants in the 1940s. She is said to have made many accurate predictions. Friends and associates therefore become concerned when she revealed what would be her own imminent death.

She told them, "I saw a fiery streak. Then a red mist spread over everything ..."

She explained, her long experience had taught her that red mists always meant one thing: "Blood, a violent death. A fiery streak" 

A few weeks following her prediction a Nazi buzz bomb (this was during World War 2) struck her London Home. This answered the question as to what the 'fiery streak' actually was. She had accurately predicted her death.

Prior to her death illustrious clients included the former Queen Victoria of Spain and Lady Clarisbrook - whose husband was a brother of Britain's Queen at the time. Victoria's first consultation with Miss Montague was one she wouldn't forget.

She warned Victoria that her wedding day would be the occasion of a number of violent deaths. The prediction was stunningly fulfilled.

As the bridal party drove away from the church a bouquet containing a bomb, was tossed at the royal carriage. Both the King and Queen escaped injury, but 24 other people were killed and 80 were wounded.

It is also reported that someone handed her an example of Hitler's handwriting. She, not knowing whose it was, said, "Whoever wrote that is as mad as a hatter."

There are many other predictions that proved accurate. In 1944 she forecast that Lord Louis Mountbatten "... will some day find a watery grave." This was shown in various newspapers in November of 1944.

The prediction took a long time to materialise, but in 1979 Lord Mountbatten went lobster potting in a wooden boat, moored in the harbour at Mullaghmore. An IRA member slipped into the boat and planted a radio-controlled bomb. Just a few hundred yards from the shore the bomb was detonated. Mountbatten was killed.

Some people do appear to have 'the gift'.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I also have another blog: Mike's Cornwall

It's a Small World Coincidence

Quite remarkable coincidences I noticed in an article in the Daily Mail newspaper. The story was from S. Turner, Kent, England.

"Driving from Sydney to Adelaide, while on holiday in Australia, we had a number of amazing coincidences.

On an overnight stop-off at a small town, we were surprised to see someone who is a regular at our local pub.

In another town, we ran into an old work colleague from London whom we hadn't seen for 20 years or more.

Then, finally in a shopping mall food court in Adelaide, who should be sitting at a nearby table but a man who caught the same train as me each morning on our commute into London. He and his wife were on a cruise and has only just arrived in Adelaide that day. Small world indeed!"