KNOCKERS

ORIGIN: Cornwall, England.

The Knocker is a legend from the deep, dark mines of Cornwall, England, with origins that stretch back to the 18th century. 

Knockers are known as small, secretive, goblin-like spirits, believed to dwell within the mines, hiding in the shadows and narrow tunnels. 

Their name comes from the scary knocking sounds they would make, which echoe through the underground shafts. 

Miners claimed these knocks could either signal the presence of rich veins of ore to mine and become a rich master or…

The knocks could serve as a warning that the mine was about to collapse.

The legend varies depending on who tells it. 

Some miners believed the Knockers were kind spirits that guided them to precious minerals and protected them from cave-ins. 

In thanks, the miners would leave offerings of food to appease these mysterious beings, hoping to gain more of their favor. 

However, others viewed the Knockers as mischievous or even wicked, blaming them for accidents, missing tools, and deadly cave-ins. 

The sound of continuous knocking was always a cause for dread— sometimes interpreted as the spirits hammering away at the rock, other times as a sign of doom.

Even after the stop of mining in Cornwall, tales of the Knockers have continued.

Their story has since crossed the Atlantic, becoming part of mining folklore in the United States, especially in the coal mines of Pennsylvania.