Legends of Drake's Island: Tunnels, Ghosts, and a White Lady

08/11/2025 22 min

Listen "Legends of Drake's Island: Tunnels, Ghosts, and a White Lady"

Episode Synopsis


Drake's Island sits in Plymouth Sound, around 500 m from the mainland. The island is just 6.5 acres, and around 250 yards wide at its broadest point. You can reach the island by boat in 10 minutes.

Its name refers to Sir Francis Drake, a problematic figure often lauded for his circumnavigation efforts. He also has very little to do with Drake's Island itself. When looking for its ghost stories or legends, we actually have to look to the island's role in English defences from the Tudor period onwards.

We're talking secret tunnels, protective military spirits, and the inevitable White Lady.

Let's explore some of these stories in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore…

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