The Bucket of Blood and St.Pialas Well in Phillack, England

Cornwall, a county in the United Kingdom, is known for its folklore, myth, and history. One such community is Hayle, which has a history that dates back to the Bronze Age. In more recent times, mining and shipping have been integral to Hayle's economy, leading to the establishment of several inns. One such inn, The New Inn, was located north of Hayle and was connected to a nearby well known as St.Phillacks (or St.Pialas) Well.

This well was used by the inn to brew Cornish Ale. The inn's tale includes a chilling incident where the local innkeeper pulled up a bucket from the well and found it filled with blood. This led to the discovery of a badly mutilated body at the bottom of the well, which could not be identified. The most popular theory suggests that a local tax collector who stumbled upon bandits met a brutal end before his body was thrown down the well.

Another theory proposes that tin mining operations contaminated the soil, leading to red-tinted rainwater that entered the well. The inn was informally known as The Bucket of Blood, and the name stuck, becoming a part of its history. An 18th-century legend further adds to the mystery, involving a local resident and later sheriff, Erasmus Pascoes, who washed his diseased dog at the well.

After doing so, the community fell ill, sparking various explanations ranging from divine anger to a curse or the dog contaminating the water with diseases. The well and the pub have a rich history that spans centuries, and the unsettling tale only adds to their unique character. The exact truth behind the events remains uncertain, but the folklore surrounding the well and the pub continues to captivate the imagination.