Pixie Day

About

The legend began that Ottery St Mary was once occupied by Pixies. They were forced into exile by the coming of the humans and the building of the church. The last straw was the noise of the church bells which they could not bear. As the bells rung the Pixies would do everything they could to stop them as they believed that each time the bells rung a Pixie would die. So on one midsummer's day in 1454 they invaded the town and captured all the bell ringers and imprisoned them in a cave by the river. This cave is still known as Pixie's Parlour.

Fortunately for the town the bell ringer's escaped, but the pixies and the capturing of the bell ringers is remember each year with a celebration on the Saturday nearest to midsummer.

Children from the Guides and Scouts groups - Brownies, Beavers, Cubs and Rainbows - play the part of the pixies in the ‘Revenge’. They return to the church and wait to capture the bell ringers. Once captured the Pixies then imprison the bell ringers, but like before...the bell ringers escape.

Celebrations commence in the early afternoon with a fete of stalls and entertainment at the Land of Canaan. At around 6.30pm the Pixies' Revenge takes place in the square and then the celebrations continue down at the Land of Canaan, with entertainment barbecue and bar.