Pixie Day

According to local legends, Ottery St Mary was once occupied by pixies. 

The pixies and the humans got along fine until the humans decided to build the church, the noise of the church bells was too loud for the pixies, so they would do anything they could to stop the bells from ringing. Apparently, there was a belief that everytime the bells rang, a pixie would die. 

To save themselves, on Midsummer's Day in 1451, the pixies invaded the town and captured the bell ringers, imprisoning them in a cave by the river. The cave is still there today, and is known as Pixie's Parlour. 

The bell ringers escaped and to remember the event, the town's bell ringers are rounded up every year. 

Pixie Day today

Today, with the pixies long gone, local children play the part of the pixies and capture the bell ringers. Much like before, the bell ringers escape, with celebrations taking place in the afternoon, with fetes, stalls and live entertainment.