The Legend of Lovis Cove

Posted: 02.15.2025 | Updated: 02.15.2025

The legend behind the spirit who haunts Lovis Cove couldn’t get much darker. Theft, amputation, and murder all took place on the Marblehead beach one tragic night, as a group of scared townspeople hid nearby and listened to the desperate cries of the victim. Today, those same otherworldly shrieks can still be heard by those brave enough to venture near the cove. 

Marblehead is only a stone’s throw from one of the most spirit-laden towns in the entire U.S.: Salem, Massachusetts. The spectral energy is palpable as you walk around the town that is forever linked to the murders of 25 innocent people, many of whom still roam the streets of their once-beloved village.

To possibly catch a glimpse — or hear a scream — from one of these apparitions, book a ghost tour with Salem Ghosts. 

Is Lovis Cove Haunted?

The tales of the spirit who haunts Lovis Cove date back to the 1600s, when the original crime was committed. Generations of Marblehead residents have heard the screams of the woman simply known as the “Screeching Lady of Lovis Cove.” 

What Happened on Lovis Cove?

The story, which has been passed down from sailors to their families, takes place in 1697. A band of Spanish pirates were making waves off the Massachusetts coast, pillaging towns and killing anyone who got in their way. 

One of the victims of “getting in their way” included a ship bound for America from Spain. Not far from their destination, at last, the civilian ship was overtaken by the merciless pirates. The ship, with no other choice, allowed the pirates to board. This turned out to be a fatal decision.

The pirates began ransacking everything they could find, pulling the jewelry and gems off the passengers. Then, they began slaughtering them without hesitation. 

Aboard the ship was an English lady who was said to be very beautiful, dressed in a fine silk gown and practically dripping with jewels. When the pirates reached the woman, they stole her jewels but couldn’t get the most exquisite piece of jewelry – an emerald ring — off her finger, no matter how hard they pulled. 

Annoyed, they kept her alive until they could pry the ring off her finger. In the meantime, they killed everyone else aboard the ship, including people who were likely friends and family of the emerald ring-bearing woman. 

Returning to their vessel, they brought the English lady with them. One can only imagine how terrified she was to be captured and alone on a ship full of cruel and vicious pirates, likely laughing about their recent plunder as they drank from bottles of whiskey. 

The Plunder of Marblehead

It’s not clear how long these men kept the English woman on their boat. Was it a night? Days? Weeks? Who knows what horrors she experienced at the hands of the pirates on their ship. 

At some point, the pirates decided they wanted to pillage a town and likely restock their supplies. They knew better than to get near the large harbor towns of Boston and Salem, where British ships were protecting the residents.

So, instead, they chose to anchor near a small village called Marblehead. They waited until nightfall, then disembarked their ship to pillage the few homes scattered around the town. 

Seeing an opportunity when the pirates were otherwise occupied, the English lady decided to make a dash for freedom. She jumped overboard and managed to swim to shore despite her heavy dress. 

Yet, she didn’t have luck on her side. One of the pirates spotted her — irate at the gall of a woman attempting to escape. The pirates soon recaptured the woman, this time deciding they were done with showing mercy.

The Massacre on Lovis Cove

The pirates began beating the woman brutally. The woman screamed for her life, crying, “O mercy! Mercy! Lord Jesus Christ save me!” She prayed that someone would save her, and she was right in believing that people would hear her screams. 

However, the people who heard her desperate calls were terrified themselves. The townspeople of Marblehead had run to the forest and hidden when they saw the pirates descending upon their beach. They knew an innocent woman was close to death in front of them, but they feared they, too, would meet their maker if they attempted to help her. 

As the pirates beat the woman, they decided that it was time to get that emerald ring once and for all. As it still wouldn’t budge, they took a sword and cut off her finger. Some say that they cut off all her fingers for good measure. 

By this point, the woman’s yells were deafening. She continued to scream and scream until, finally, the beach fell silent. 

After the pirates had sailed away, the townsfolk finally went to inspect the small beach where the screeching had been coming from. There, they found the mangled body of a lifeless woman. 

Taking pity upon her, the locals buried her on the rocky beach, where she took her last breath. 

The Eternal Scream of the Screeching Lady

After her death, an ear-piercing scream could sometimes be heard emanating from the tiny stretch of shore where the woman was buried. Those who have heard it describe it as “a sound so superhuman and superlatively dreadful that the horror is indescribable.”

The screams can be heard throughout the year, but they are most common on the anniversary of her death. Is she still waiting, hoping that someone will come to rescue her? 

Or does she howl to remind those who ignored her of their cowardice?

Haunted Salem

The area around Marblehead and Salem is known for harboring the spirits of innocents who were killed because they were at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The Screeching Lady was likely looking forward to starting a new life in the colonies — only to have the dream violently ripped away. 

The same is true for the victims of the Salem Witch Trials. They’d done nothing wrong, yet 25 people were tortured or hanged for completely false reasons. 

Salem has a certain foreboding energy that is hard to describe unless you experience it in person. If you’d like to walk along the same streets as the victims and perpetrators of the 1692 witch trials, schedule a ghost tour with Salem Ghosts. You never know who you might see lurking in the shadows. 

To learn about other innocents whose spirits have refused to leave, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To read more about the ghosts of the Salem area, check out our blog. 

Sources:

• https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/gothic-travel/the-screeching-lady-of-lovis-cove-marblehead-massachusetts/
• https://salemghosts.com/
• https://ournewenglandlegends.com/podcast-225-the-screeching-lady-of-marblehead/#transcript
• https://marbleheadcurrent.org/2023/07/12/marblehead-chronicles-the-screaming-woman/
• https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/overview.html#:~:text=The%20Salem%20witchcraft%20events%20began,jail%20due%20to%20harsh%20conditions.