Celtic Animals Celtic Animals
Gandolf.com

Rev Dodge of Talland
Cornish Occult Folktale

The 19thC Cornish Reverend Dodge of Talland comes to the aid of Parson Mills of Lanreath. The appearance of Dodge was enough for the ghost to give up the ghost.

Famous in East Cornwall was the Reverend Dodge, of Talland, who went to the aid of Parson Mills, of Lanreath, when the latter was pursued by a black coach with headless horses and driver. As Dodge appeared the ghostly coachman shouted: 'Dodge is come! I must be gone!' and the spectral terrors disappeared.

(Jenkin, Cornwall and Its People, pages 270–271.)

The tales of Cornish exorcism usually relate the power of the exorcist. In this case, the appearance of Rev Dodge is enough to make the spirit disappear. Apparently, Parson Mills was less strong, or the spirit believed it could not face two exorcists.

(An irreverent thought: If a spirit possessed Rev Dodge, would he have had to call Marshall Dillon who would then order the spirit out of Dodge? Sorry, I couldn't resist it.)