ST LEVAN CHURCH

In St Levan's Churchyard is the grave of Captain Wetherel, who drowned when his ship went down near Runnelstone many years ago. It was just approaching midnight when the Captain, realising that his ship was sinking, made his crew take to the boat. He, however, remained on board. Rowing away from the sinking ship, his crew heard the Captain strike the ship's bell eight times to mark the midnight hour. Some time later, several youngsters were wandering around the churchyard one Sunday morning. One girl stood on the Captain's grave to read the inscription, and was startled to hear the sound of a bell coming from beneath the ground she stood on. She stepped back in fright and, seeing her expression, the rest of the group listened and also heard the ringing of the bell. Terrified, they all fled for safety into the church. Soon after this, a young sailor came home to St Levan after many years at sea. In the Elder Tree public house he met some old friends, and in the course of the morning their talk got around to the story of the Captain's bell. The young sailor didn't believe the tale, but agreed to go to St Levan's Church graveyard with his friends if only to satisfy his curiosity. The sailor went to stand at the Captain's grave, and his friends watched the sundial by the church porch. As midday arrived, the sailor ran back to his friends. All the blood had drained from his face, and in hushed tones he reported, "True as I'm alive, I heard eight bells struck in the grave and wouldn't go near the spot again for the world." The young sailor died on his very next voyage. It is therefore believed that whoever deliberately goes to hear the Captain's bell will bring bad luck onto themselves. Nonetheless it is said that the Captain's ghostly bell continues to mark the hours and half-hours as it did aboard his ship, and can be heard most clearly at midnight (the hour of his death).