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Of Mermaids and MenA small scattering of merfolk stories exist around the UK and Ireland. Some of the creatures are said to protect hoards of treasure, while others have uttered curses which have wiped out entire communities. While many believe that most mermaid sightings can be attributed to Manatees and other aquatic mammals, not all cases can be readily dismissed as mistaken identity. What follows is a list of the places where merfolk have been encountered or were believed to exist.Image (right) courtesy of:www.royalmail.com/creatures

Bathing MermaidLocation:Aberystwyth (Dyfed) - Cliffs near the townType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:July 1826Further Comments:Twelve people watched a beautiful pale woman washing herself in the sea, with what appeared to be a black tail splashing around behind her.

Shape ChangersLocation:Bantry (County Cork) - Bay cliffsType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The mermaids said to live in this area would be capable of changing their shape as they came on to land. They would also be seen sitting on the rocks play harps.

Women with ChildLocation:Barra (Outer Hebrides) - Reef in Caolas CumhanType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Pre twentieth centuryFurther Comments:Crofter Colin Campbell raised his rifle to fire at what he thought was an otter eating a fish, but stopped when he realised the creature was actually a mermaid holding a child. The creature dived into the sea after Campbell made a noise.

Swan EaterLocation:Burscough (Lancashire) - Martin MereType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:2002Further Comments:An unknown large creature was seen to attack several swans from beneath the water of the lake - it is believed to be a type of large catfish, which can grow up to sixteen feet in length. There has also been at least one mermaid sighting in the lake, and Sir Lancelot's body is supposed to be buried nearby.

Mer ChildrenLocation:Calf of Man (Isle of Man) - Rocky area, exact location not knownType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:1810Further Comments:Three men from Douglas found two merchildren on the rocks. One was already dead, but they saved the second child and took it to their town. The creature was described as around 60.3 centimetres in length and brown in colour, although the scales around its tail were slightly violet, and the hair on its head light green.

Shorted Armed MermaidLocation:Campbeltown (Argyll and Bute) - Kintyre PeninsulaType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:18 October 1811Further Comments:Watched by a farmer for two hours, this mermaid had a pale upper body and a red/grey tail covered in hair. Its face was human, with deep-set eyes and short neck. The creature combed the hair on its head with what looked like short, stubby arms before diving into the water and washing its torso.

TeenagerLocation:Castlemartin (Dyfed) - Off the coast in the areaType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Circa 1782Further Comments:Henry Reynolds spotted a merman off the coast which he initially believed to be a pale skinned teenager before noticing its brown tail which waved about. While the body and arms looked human, the arms and hands looked too short and thick, while the creature's nose was long and sharp. Reynolds went to find other witnesses, but by the time he returned, the merman had gone.

MermaidLocation:Child's Ercall (Shropshire) - PoolType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:This mermaid was so upset at the way she was treated by onlookers, she drove to the bottom of the pool and never returned. It was thought that she guarded a mass of treasure.

Mermaid CurseLocation:Colmonell (Ayrshire) - Knockdolian CastleType:CurseDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The mistress of the castle ordered the destruction of a black rock which stood just a short distance away, in order to prevent a mermaid sitting upon it and singing. As revenge, the mermaid cursed the family, ensuring they all died without leaving an heir for the estate.

Llys HeligLocation:Conwy (Clwyd) - Conway BayType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:Llys Helig was a mythical palace, which was sunk to punish its evil owner. The ruins of the walls can sometimes be seen at low tide, though in recent years it has been discovered that the rocks are a natural formation. Mermaids have also been seen in these waters, and one was said to have cursed the town of Conway after she was washed up on the beach and no one offered to help her back into the sea.

MermaidsLocation:Cudden Point (Cornwall) - Off coastType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:This area is another haunt for the Cornish merfolk.

MermaidsLocation:Deerness (Orkney) - Off coastType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Late nineteenth centuryFurther Comments:These women of the water were seen dozens of times during the last twenty years of the nineteenth century.

Treasure GuardiansLocation:Duncansby Head (Highland) - Cave system off coastType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A team of mermaids and mermen are reported to guard a hidden cave full of treasure.

Enchanted EelLocation:Dunkettle (County Cork) - Lake close to small graveyardType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:This eel must have been of great size, as it terrorised the neighbourhood, eating sheep and cattle. A man tending the graveyard encountered the creature one morning and severed its tail with a hook. Enraged, the creature attacked but the man managed to run away. What happened to the creature after that is undocumented, but the man in question died a few days later, and one of the headstones in the graveyard is said to be decorated with a hook and an eel.

Captured FishermanLocation:Dunnet Bay (Highland) - Underwater sea caveType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A good looking fisherman once caught the eye of a mermaid who fell in love with him - she kidnapped the fellow and held him in a secret cave under the sea, where he remains to this day...

Vanishing TwitchersLocation:Eynhallow (Orkney) - Exact location unknownType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:14 July 1990Further Comments:Two birdwatchers that vanished without trace on the island after arriving with 86 other people were thought by locals to have been taken by merfolk. An extensive search by the coastguard could find no trace of the missing people.

Well DwellerLocation:Fornham All Saints (Suffolk) - Well in the village (exact location unknown)Type:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Nineteenth centuryFurther Comments:An old story, most likely told to prevent children playing too close to the well, said a mermaid waited within the well. She was ready to drown children who touched the water's edge.

NygelLocation:Foula (Shetlands) - Mills with water wheelsType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The Nygel was a water horse that appeared to hang around locations with water wheels, using its teeth to stop the wheel turning. It had a tail that arched over its back. One story said the creature once entered a home; the occupant fled and the building was left empty for thirty years.

MermaidLocation:Hayfield (Derbyshire) - Mermaid's Pool, near Kinder ReservoirType:LegendDate / Time:Every midnight, the eve of Easter SundayFurther Comments:Anyone who sees the creature is said to gain immortality. One man who came here once a year lived to be 104!

Halibut-Tailed creatureLocation:Isle of Yell (Shetlands) - Thirty miles off the coastType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:1833Further Comments:Three (or six) fishermen claimed to have caught a ninety centimetre long mermaid while at sea. The creature had arms around 23 centimetres in length with webbed fingers, and while it had blue eyes and nostrils, no ears or chin could be seen. It possessed a tail similar to a halibut and also had two fins on its shoulders. After listening to the creature wail for three hours, the fishermen threw it back into the sea.

Mermaid?Location:Kilconly Point (County Kerry) - SeaType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:1960 - 1962Further Comments:A mermaid which was spotted several times in this area was described as a 'normal' woman, leading one to conclude that maybe she was..?

Bloodied mermaidLocation:Killone Lake (County Clare) - Waters of the lakeType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Every forty years, exact date unknownFurther Comments:A mermaid who frequented the lake would often steal wine from the crypt beneath the church (or the cellar of Newhall, depending on the storyteller). She was stabbed (or shot) when caught, but managed to drag herself back to the lake before dying. The waters are said to turn red with her blood every forty years.

MermaidLocation:Kinlochbervie (Highland) - CraigmoreType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Mid twentieth centuryFurther Comments:A report exists of a mer-creature being seen here.

SailorLocation:Kinlochbervie (Highland) - Sandwood BayType:Haunting ManifestationDate / Time:1953Further Comments:Leaving no footprints as he crosses the sand, this bearded sailor is one of the many who lost their lives in the sea nearby. He is particularly noted for the large brass buttons on his jacket. A red-headed mermaid has also been reported in the area.

Killer MermaidLocation:Leek (Staffordshire) - Blakemere, the Mermaid's PoolType:LegendDate / Time:Midnight (reoccurring)Further Comments:The fish woman surfaces to comb her hair at midnight - anyone approaching too close are dragged down into the deep waters with her

SingingLocation:Lemorna (Cornwall) - Mermaid's RockType:Crisis ManifestationDate / Time:Prior to sinkingFurther Comments:Although this creature has not been seen, it can be heard singing - a ship will sink nearby exactly seven days later.

The Seal PeopleLocation:Loch Duich (Highland) - Waters of the lochType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The area is home to a colony of seal people - sea creature while in the water, human when they climb out... Mermaids have also been reported, as have sea serpents.

SeatonLocation:Looe (Cornwall) - Nearby beachType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:Upset with the residents of the village Seaton, a mermaid caused all the buildings to be buried by sand.

Angry MermaidLocation:Lornty (Perth and Kinross) - Waters between town and Loch BenachallyType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:These waters were once the swimming area of a mermaid who was renowned for her bad temperament.

Thieving MermaidLocation:Marden (Hereford & Worcester) - River LuggType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:An accident sent a church bell into the waters of the local river - a passing mermaid took the opportunity to steal the bell and can sometimes be heard ringing it.

MermaidLocation:Mersey Estuary (Lancashire) - Black RockType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A sailor once fell in love with a mermaid here. The woman gave him a golden ring, informed the sailor that she would be back in five days to meet him. Five days later, the man died.

MermaidLocation:Morridge Moor (Derbyshire) - The Black Mere, also known as the Blake MereType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Appears at midnight, dailyFurther Comments:This fishy female comes to the surface of the pool at night, ready to pull any witnesses down to the dark waters where they remain forever.

U Boat SightingLocation:Muckle Flugga (Shetlands) - Off coastType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:28 July 1918Further Comments:The German submarine U108 encountered a giant marine saurian, estimated to be 18 to 24 metres in length.

Upset MermaidLocation:Newport (Shropshire) - Aqualate MereType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The last time this area of water was cleaned, a mermaid popped up out of the water and threatened to destroy Newport and Meretown if the pool was emptied.

Mermaid's GraveLocation:Nunton, Benbecula (Outer Hebrides) - Exact location not knownType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Still present?Further Comments:The area reportedly contains the grave of a mermaid killed in the early nineteenth century. The mer-creature had been seen for a couple of days, before a teenage boy threw a rock at it, killing the entity. Accounts stated that the upper part of the creature was the size of an infant, while the bottom was like a salmon.

MermanLocation:Orford (Suffolk) - Coast near to Orford CastleType:LegendDate / Time:1197, or 1161Further Comments:A man from the sea was caught and held in the castle for a period of six months before escaping back into the ocean. He never talked, and appeared to have a preference for fish over other types of food.

Angry MermaidLocation:Padstow (Cornwall) - Padstow HarbourType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A local tale states that the harbour here was silted up by a mermaid, more than a little upset after she was shot at by a fisherman. The area has also been home to sea serpents.

Selkie PrinceLocation:Papa Stour (Shetlands) - Exact location not knownType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A group of seal hunters who arrived at the island skinned a large number of seals before a violent storm began to batter the island - unbeknown to the hunters, a selkie prince was amongst the seals. The hunters finally return the skins to the seals, after which the storm ceased.

MermanLocation:Portgordon (Moray) - Off coastType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:15 August 1814Further Comments:This figure normally warned of ill fortune at sea - if the crew of a fishing vessel spotted him, they would return to port for the day. Two fishermen spotted two of the creatures in 1814 - one they described as black in colour, with curly hair and long arms, while the other was female with long hair.

MermaidLocation:Portland (Dorset) - Church Ope CoveType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:One story says that a mermaid came ashore here, but died soon after being found by local people heading to church.

RakeLocation:Rendlesham (Suffolk) - Pond shaped like an 'S'Type:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:This freshwater mermaid was reputed to be armed with a rake, ready to drag in any children who strayed too close.

Gipping GirlLocation:River Gipping (Suffolk) - General areaType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The mermaid that frequented the Gipping would prey on children who played near the deeper waters of the river.

MermaidLocation:Rostherne Mere (Cheshire) - General areaType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Easter Sunday (reoccurring)Further Comments:Her reasons unknown, this mermaid returns once a year to ring a bell hidden deep underwater and sing.

Remains of the BayLocation:Scalloway (Shetlands) - BayType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:1810Further Comments:The remains of a large mystery sea creature drifted into Scalloway Bay. Described as a looking like an upturned vessel, it remained in the bay for two weeks before disappearing - during this time, no one was brave enough to approach it for a closer look.

CursedLocation:Shetland (Shetlands) - Exact location not knownType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Pre 1822Further Comments:A fisherman who caught a mermaid while out at sea killed the creature with a knife. It was said that from that moment, he was cursed.

NoggleLocation:Shetland (Shetlands) - Near water wheelsType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:The Noggle was a type of water horse that could be found stopping water wheels. When a miller appeared to chase the beast off, he would often be tricked into mounting it - being taken to deep water and his doom.

Dark Haired MermaidLocation:Snettisham (Norfolk) - Snettisham Beech & The WashType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:Little is known about the sighting of a mermaid with long dark hair who was once spotted here.

Glassy Eyed MermaidLocation:Sound of Mull (Argyll and Bute) - SeaType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Pre twentieth centuryFurther Comments:Becalmed in their skiff after setting out from the Sound of Mull, two men spotted a creature in the water which had the head, neck and upper torso of a woman, although the hair was more coarse and the eyes glassy.

Naked Mermaid?Location:Thurso (Highland) - Sandside BayType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:1798Further Comments:William Munro, a schoolmaster from Thurso, watched a naked woman combing her hair on a rock in the bay. After a few minutes she diving under the water and vanished.

Stolen SkinLocation:Unst (Shetlands) - Unknown beachType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A farmer who stole the seal skin of a selkie as she danced naked on the beach forced her to marry him. Many years passed and the selkie bore the farmer several children, although she would spend many hours down on the beach staring at the sea. Finally, one of the children found her seal skin and took it to the selkie, wondering what it was. The selkie took the skin and was never seen again.

Water HorseLocation:Unst (Shetlands) - Unnamed lochType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:Nineteenth centuryFurther Comments:A tired traveller mounted a horse he found at the side of the loch only to find that the creature tried to drag him into the waters. The traveller managed to jump clear just before the horse entered the water - the horse disappeared in a blue haze.

Saxi and HermanLocation:Unst Island (Shetlands) - General areaType:LegendDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:Saxi and Herman, two giants who were brothers, once lived on the island. They both fell in love with a mermaid who said she would marry whoever would swim to the North Pole with her. Both brothers began the trip, but neither returned.

NygoleLocation:Whalsay (Shetlands) - Exact location not knownType:CryptozoologyDate / Time:UnknownFurther Comments:A water horse known as a Nygole was found by a traveller returning from the kriegs at Skura. Mistaking the creature for a normal horse, the traveller mounted it, only realising his mistake after the Nygole set off at a fantastic speed. The traveller escaped the creature after driving his knife into its back.

Mathew TrewhellaLocation:Zennor (Cornwall) - Church and SeaType:LegendDate / Time:1400s?Further Comments:A son of a church warden, Mathew Trewhella one day disappeared without trace. A sea captain later told the village folk that Mathew was with a mermaid, living under the sea.