Listen closely to the tales of the ancient sea witch, Sarah Moore, who once dwelled by the estuary in Old Leigh. It is said that she possessed the power to foretell the future and would sell sailors a favourable wind for a mere penny in payment. The wind would be bound to string, which the sailors could untie to summon the wind’s power. One knot would unleash a gentle breeze, two knots would summon a strong wind, and three would unleash the fury of a storm.

Legend has it that when a foreign captain forbade his crew from seeking the witch’s aid, Sarah Moore flew into a rage and summoned The Great Storm of the Estuary. The tempest shook the vessel to its core and the sailors were powerless to lower the sails. As they cried out in despair, fearing the witch’s wrath, the captain fearlessly stepped forward and with three mighty strokes of his axe, cut down the mast, saving the ship from certain doom.

The storm immediately ceased and upon their return to Leigh on Sea, they discovered the lifeless body of Sarah Moore on Bell Wharf, bearing the marks of three fatal axe wounds.