Celebrate the life and death of a locally renowned pirate, Tom Crocker, who famously haunts The Pilchard Inn at a unique festival in his honour. On Wednesday, August 14 The Burgh Island Hotel will be hosting its annual Tom Crocker Day Festival. with both visitors and Hotel guests invited to take part in a day of family festivities and food.
Burgh Island has a rich history and heritage. Famously, the Island is home to the luxury art-deco Burgh Island Hotel and is still a hideaway haven for the rich and famous. But it also has a distant past enshrined in lawless pursuits and scandal.
Formerly known as ‘Burr Island’, it was a favourite among smugglers. Most notorious of all was Tom Crocker who is rumoured to have inhabited the Island’s southern caves. He made Burgh Island his base and the Pilchard Inn was his favourite haunt and the location of his demise.
His ghost is said to wander the Island, causing mischief and looking for his lost treasure. The day will be action-packed, offering a blend of live music and family-friendly activities. The main attraction is a hunt across the island in search of Tom Crocker’s lost treasure, with participants vying for a chance to win a night’s stay at the Burgh Island Hotel.
Visitors are also encouraged to take part in a Best Dressed pirate costume competition that will separate the sailors from the scallywags, open to both children and adults. The event will support the Wave Project, the surf therapy charity, which helps young peop.