Folklore

Gilman Camp
Hillfort

It was from Gilman Point that there was a famous sighting of a mermaid in 1603. A pamplet describing it can be found on the ‘Gathering the Jewels’ website:
gtj.org.uk/en/item1/26001
(the caption says ‘Gybnanes Poynt’ but this is a blatant misreading of ‘Gylmanes Poynt’, as you can see when you enlarge the image at gtj.org.uk/en/blowup6/26004)

Thomas Raynold, ‘a very honest and substantial yeoman’, watched the mermaid for two hours as it swam about between Gilman’s Point and Dolman Point. He was worried that he wouldn’t be believed so he grabbed some villagers and they watched it for a bit longer. It apparently had the usual hands, lovely hair and face that you’d expect from a mermaid. However, it was ‘browne’ or ‘gray’ in colour. Surely coastal people know a mermaid when they see one.