The ‘ghost ship’ of the English Channel that ‘reappears every 50 years’ after all the crew were killed on it 300 years ago
The ill-fated ship set sail along the Thames, for the final destination of Oporto, Portugal, on February 13, 1748 - but was never to return
GHOST story and pirate fans alike will be intrigued by the tale of the Lady Lovibond, an ill-fated ship which was sunk in the 1700s.
Legend has it that the ship’s captain, Simon Peel, had just gotten married, and decided to take his ship out on a cruise to celebrate.
Loved-up Simon took his new bride with him on the ride – kindly taking no heed to the longstanding nautical belief that bringing a woman on board in bad luck.
The ship set sail along the Thames, for the final destination of Oporto, Portugal, on February 13, 1748 - but was never to return.
Unknown to Simon, the ship’s first mate was also in love with his wife and was insanely jealous of the pair.
Overwhelmed with rage, he intentionally steered the ship into the Goodwind Sands, an area infamous for causing ship wrecks.
The Lady Lovibond was wrecked and sank - killing all those aboard.
The legend now goes that ever since that ill-fated day, the Lady Lovibond can be seen sailing the coastline around Kent every 50 years.
The legend began exactly fifty years to the day after the Lady Lovibond was destroyed, when the captain of ship Edenbridge recorded in his log that he had almost collided with a schooner with three masts – just like the Lady Lovibond.
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The captain said that he heard sounds of a celebration coming from the ship as it wrecked – but when a rescue team was dispatched there was no sign of the ship or its passengers.
Another fifty years passed, and again on the 13th of February locals saw a three-masted schooner head toward the Sands – once again no wreckage was found.
In 1848 the same ship was reported to have been seen breaking up in the very same area with no shipwreck in sight.
The last report was filed in 1948 by Captain Bull Preswick, who was convinced he saw the Lady Lovibond surrounded by a green glow as it entered the Sands.
The folktales of the ghost ship have now garnered so much attention that many curious ghost-hunters made their way to the Sands in 1998 to try and catch a glimpse of the fabled ship - but were all disappointed when no ship appeared.
So what do you think? Real-life ghost ship or is there another answer?
If you fancy trying to spot the mysterious ship, we have only thirty-two years to wait before we can be sure...
In the meantime, why not check out the mysterious mist caught on film in one of Britain’s most haunted pubs or the mystery of the paranormal investigator famous for exploring ghostly activity who was found dead with bizarre dark line around his throat.