If you go down to the village of Zennor, and take a walk to the church, you’ll find something interesting. To begin with the mermaid is depicted in accordance with traditional folklore rather than Victorian fairy tales.

Stories are much like stones on a beach, over the years retellings act like the tides, slowly wearing away the jagged edges and leaving smooth curves. Her eyes seemed to look right through him, and her gaze somehow reminded him of the dim light in caves under sea. At various times in history they have been used to represent vanity (hence appearing with combs and mirror), the dual nature of Christ (with his human/divine nature symbolized in the mermaid's ability to live in the realm of air and the realm of water), and of course given their famous beauty and scanty wardrobes, as warnings about the temptations of lust. The Cornish coast is easily the most wrecked coast in all of the UK: an average of 24 for every mile of coast. To commemorate these somewhat unusual events they had the figure she bore—when in her ocean-home—carved in holy-oak, which may still be seen.However, over the years the rivermouth has become so choked up with drifting sand as to be more or less useless to anything but small craft. tale of the Mermaid of Zennor may have been circulating for untold years before it was recorded by Mr William Bottrell. Just like the mermaid reached into a safe human space, seal rock sits a literal stone’s throw from the ‘Lands End and Cape Bank’ Marine Protected Area (MPA). Generally, being by the sea, being at the very far end of the UK, not having any big cities, means that Cornwall has a much slower pace of life.

Growing up in Cornwall, my Dad remembers every assembly at school seemingly came with a warning about the sea and rivers like Hayle.So I have to say, I had a lovely time in Cornwall and, if I do move in with my girlfriend, I’m really looking forward to being so close to the sea. He became so smitten that he left the church and plunged into the ocean for a life of love beneath the waves, never to be seen again. Despite this, the figure of a mermaid is often associated with Christianity in Cornwall, as the dual nature of woman and fish mirrors the dual nature of Christ as both human and divine. One day, she could contain her infatuation no more and, luring him from the church, led him along the tiny stream that still babbles through the centre of the village and into the sea at nearby Pendour Cove. Because we got to know each other very well before we met in person, so there was a strong emotional connection.