It was in December 1748 when residents of the coastal town of Deal in Kent first reportedly saw the dreaded apparition. Now known as the Ghost Ship of Goodwin Sands, its ominous shadow has graced the horizon, casting an eerie silence over the usually bustling town. Goodwin Sands, also known as ‘the ship swallower,’ is notorious for being a ship graveyard, claiming over 2000 ships in its dangerous and shifting sandbanks. But, amongst the sunken treasure and the skeletal remnants of vessels, there is one ship that refuses to rest; ‘The Lady Lovibond.’
The ghostly galleon was seen every fifty years, always on the eve of St. Valentine’s, bringing with her ill winds and rough seas. Local folklore recounted the tragic tale of the ship’s Captain Simon Reed and his bride Annetta, who embarked on this ill-fated voyage for their honeymoon. As the legend goes, the first mate Rivers, who was secretly in love with Annetta, was stricken with jealousy. In a fit of madness, he murdered the helmsman and steered the ship into the deadly sands, killing all on board. Since then, the Lady Lovibond is said to sail the seas eternally, destined to relive her tragic end.
The ship was last seen in 1948, when it was spotted by Captain Bull Prestwick described it as emitting a ‘strange green glow.’ Since then, despite the most eager ghost-hunters and maritime enthusiasts’ best efforts, the ship has not been sighted again. Yet residents in Deal have not forgotten the legend, and it lives on in the annals of folklore. Whether or not ‘The Lady Lovibond’ will sail again is unclear, but to the locals, she remains a poignant and chilling reminder of the treacherous and volatile sea.