On Shropshire fairies

 I’ve been fascinated by the concept of fairies since childhood. I used to keep a close eye out for them whenever I wandered around the Wrekin woods- which to me felt like a suitable place for them to dwell. I devoured stories of the Tylwyth Teg, Brownies, sprites and trows (and later Pratchett’s Nac Mac Feegle). I must confess I’ve always preferred the more gnarled, uncanny depictions than the Victorian flower fairies, they somehow seemed realer, both comparable to humans and yet so much more. There is something about these creatures that sets fire to the imagination, and undeniably they play a fundamental part of British and indeed worldwide folklore. Now there are individuals who are far more qualified to detail the Fae’s place in folklore than I, but I will give a brief summary of some of their characteristics here, to help us understand the part they play in lore.

The Fae can be benevolent or malevolent and are imbued with intricate complex personalities. Brownies for example can be very protective of the hearth and home and usually have a positive relationship with humans. The Welsh Bwbach- which is similar to a Brownie (and one of my favourite creatures) adopts households in which they complete tasks in exchange for a bowl of milk, oats, or cream. They are described as generally good, fair natured and easy to win the favour of as long as the exchange is made. They like practical jokes and can be spirited, indeed when they are not helping around the house the Bwbach loves to play pranks, including but not limited to pulling faces when someone is talking, making dogs howl, frightening babies, (which makes them laugh their little heads off) and lifting old ladies' skirts up. Their favourite prank is to whisk people through the air. They are however incredibly aggressive to vicars, priests, teetotallers, and anyone with Christian leanings, due to their strong pagan roots. This demonstrates more than a stock character or literary devise, but a tangible, complex creature interacting with the human world.

Fairies have also been blamed for carrying off children, leaving changelings as substitutes, interfering with livestock, and temping humans to cross over the threshold into fairyland, which holds similarities with pre-Christian concepts of the land of the dead. They fraternise with humans, even marry them, often at the human’s peril. Furthermore, several plants are associated with the Fae, including Hawthorn trees, Foxglove and Groundsel which are so dear to them that any abuse will result in retribution. The prevalence of belief in fairies has spurred multiple explanations for their existence. These include them being akin to ghosts or elemental spirits, pre-Christian entities or fallen angels, stuck in perpetual limbo. All portray fairies as ‘other’, enduring in the collective conscience. In many parts of Britain, it is deemed unlucky to mention the Fae by name, and thus common epithet’s such as ‘The little people’ or ‘The hidden people’ were used to describe them. Indeed ‘Hidden People’ is a good description of their identify within Shropshire Folklore. Their existence is less obvious than in other parts of Britain, but they are certainly there- you just need to know where to look. I want to discuss some Stories of the Fae in Shropshire in more detail, some are but fragments, but all demonstrate the influence and prevalence of fairy belief in Shropshire. This will not be an exhaustive account of all things fairy in the county but rather some tales that I believe are too good not to share. So let us begin.

Wenlock Edge is truly one of Shropshire’s wonders. This slender limestone escarpment rises up from the land, and is home to important geology, more than a few ghosts, flower rich grasslands as well as ancient woodland. In times gone by my grandfather would scurry across the rocks, in search of fossils and other trinkets (I like to think that part of him is still there). It was also universally accepted to belong to the Fae. Indeed, the ancient pathways and tracks that litter the edge were often referred to as fairy paths. They are said to be very protective of this landscape and its not hard to imagine why. One such fairy path is the location for our first story. This path leads through a coppice, and then through a large gap in the hedgerow which encircles it, known locally as ‘Glattering Gat’. ‘Glattering Gat’ is an important place, as it marks a portal to the fairy world- and thus is a hotbed of fairy activity. Due to this it was often left undisturbed, with locals not wanting to ignite the wrath of the Hidden people.

Many years ago, a greedy young man lived nearby, who was desperate to acquire his inheritance early. He had worked up great debt through too much gambling and other unchristian behaviour and he knew his father was a wealthy man, who’s wealth would help him live comfortably after repaying his due. So, he resolved to end his father’s life. One day the man lured his father out onto the edge for a lovely walk. They walked for some time, seeming to enjoy each other’s company, until in this isolated coppice, the man brutally murdered his father. After watching his life fade away, he dragged the corpse to ‘Glattering Gat’ knowing all too well its reputation for being a portal to the other place. He covered it with thick foliage, leaf litter and the branches of thorns, until nothing could be seen of his father’s body. He believed that the fairies would claim his father’s remains, or at the very least due to this being a taboo place to visit his father’s body would stay hidden. After he had placed the last branch, he set about returning home- rather proud of himself. That night he dreamt of all the things he could spend his inheritance on, quite content that his troubles were about to end. However, this was not to be. For that morning the branches had been torn away leaving the body completely exposed. A walker happened upon the corpse, and quickly informed the police. The man was tried for his crimes, and he too ended up dead. This story is wonderful because not only does it show us the impact of human greed, but it also demonstrates not to expect the Fae to help humans. It reminds us such a relationship must be earned, through reciprocal means and respect, and that also that the Fae are independent entities, free to choose their own course of action. They work as agents of justice within this story, restoring the natural balance, which makes for fascinating reading.

Not too far from Wenlock Edge lies Coalbrookdale, which once played a crucial part in the advent of industry in Shropshire. It is also said to have been a meeting place for fairies, with them choosing one field in particular for their activities. Sadly, the location of this field has been lost to time, but they were said to be often seen dancing around it to the sounds of enchanting fairy music. This music was said to be inviting and appealing, almost tempting you to join in. However, the fairy dancers take this very seriously and anyone who interrupted their dance would be drawn into their fairy circle and kept there. This is quite a common trope within folklore, but certainly demonstrates their presence in Shropshire. They are also seen in nearby Broseley, where fragments of the locally made Church warden pipes were referred to as ‘fairy pipe’. These pipes were often dropped by workmen and peat cutters, and thus when dug up- (despite being made in the village) served as proof of the existence of fairies.

Let us go to Market Drayton now, where fairies are also said to dwell in the cemetery. Certainly, their presence is felt, with the place being referred to as being ‘haunted by fairies’ perhaps liking to that which we discussed earlier of fairies being akin to ghosts. Traditionally there was a prevalence of ‘Fairy rings’ in the cemetery made of mushrooms or rising up from the ground. It was considered unlucky to step in these rings, and people would do everything they could not to bury their dead in or around them. Just as in Coalbrookdale the cemetery was the location for great merriment for the Fae, with them dancing and fiddling late into the night.

Bury Ditches, an Iron Age hillfort nestled between Bishop’s Castle and Clun has also been touched by the Fae. Indeed, it is said to be the site of a great treasure, far vaster than the human imagination could conceive. Somewhere beneath the earth is buried a great earthenware jar of gold (perhaps harkening back to those who inhabited the hillfort in the past) This great earthenware jar is a vessel for the gold, which will flow endlessly from it when discovered. The fairies left it there once, and up until the advent of the 20^th century children would still search the landscape in hope of encountering it. This is a lovely story which I believe links the fae to almost material archaeology. Though this vast quantity of innumerable gold may not exist, perhaps there have been tantalising archaeological finds in the area, which could hint of its plausibility. This story also adds to our understanding of the past, how people before us interacted with our heritage and understood it through folklore.

If we wish to encounter more fairies, we must journey now to Pulverbatch, which seems to be an area rich in fairy associations. Indeed, writing in 1883 Charlotte Burne met with a servant girl from the area who was very well versed in fairies. She stated that there were at least two fairy rings in the immediate area that could not be destroyed, despite efforts from the local people. Whatever damage was enacted upon them would quickly be repaired, with them returning to their original form. Furthermore, if you placed a stick in the middle of the ring upright, by morning it would have been removed to some distance nearby- as if thrown or cast out of the circle. The servant girl informed Charlotte Burne that this meant that the little people danced in the circles at night.

She also claimed that her brother and another boy had seen the fairies with their own eyes, describing them as diminutive and wearing little red jackets. This was not the end of their encounter with fairies however with the two boys meeting them on a number of occasions. One in particular was whilst working for a farmer at Wrentnall. The two boys had turned out the waggon horses upon leaving work, and they looked fine. However, when they went to ‘fetch them up’ the next morning the horses manes and tails were platted. This curious phenomena has been attributed to fairies in the past so certainly is plausible. Charlotte Burne mentions a nearby mine and suggests this may link to the supposed presence of fairies.

The girl continues to share her fairy knowledge by suggesting that anyone could indeed witness the little people as long as they enact the correct ritual. Indeed, if one walks around any field in Pulverbatch 3 times at night, they will surely appear to them.

Belief in the existence of fairies seemed to be a family affair, for the servant girls mother also spoke to Charlotte Burne, and claimed to be in possession of a fairy grindstone, which was turned up whilst her sons were ploughing. She describes this as being about as large as an old penny, with a great hole in the middle. In all likelihood this artifact would be an old stone spindle weight, but much was the belief in its significance. To find a fairy grindstone (or Grindlestun in Shropshire dialect) was indeed rare, but insured great luck for the person who found or possessed it. They were treasured items, providing individuals with a tangible link to the fae, and it must have been a comfort to know that due to this item, you were being looked after and good things were to come. Furthermore, it was believed that as a grindstone, the fae sharpened their weapons on them- and if you found a fairy weapon it was so sharp that you could kill your foes with ease. Of course, one was never found but the very fact the fairies had weapons demonstrates that they could be dangerous. Such a small item was thus incredibly powerful in the minds of Shropshire folk and cemented the fairies place in the landscape.

Fairies are indeed complex creatures and our relationship even more so; I believe these stories are wonderful. They demonstrate the legacy of those who came before us, and also how people interacted with and understood the world around them. To try and describe the place of the fairy in Shropshire would be difficult, as they are less obvious than other entities such as ghosts for example. However, as we can see from these tales they hold a presence within the county, can interact with humans and even enact justice. They are hidden people, and perhaps that’s how they would like to stay, but if you are ever wandering Wenlock Edge, or the fields of Pulverbatch, keep an eye out for them, for you never know what you may see.