Ladymeadows

 

There is an area between Ipstones and Bradnop in the county of Staffordshire which was said at one time to be the district most inhabited by Fairies. There are several small farms called Ladymeadows, which it seemed possessed the ideal conditions for this race of small beings, the subsoil is clay and the ground is wet, except in dry weather. These beings were said to find lost items in exchange for cake, etc and were said to prevent hedgehogs from sucking milk from cows at night when they were lying in fields. They were encouraged to be about the house by presents of tobacco and food, but if angered for any reason they could create mischief and cause chaos. The species is rapidly dying out now, it seems that education and science or perhaps this modern way of life that is lived so fast, is causing their way of life to come to an end, I am sure this world will be a poorer place when they have all gone. Perhaps they have not all died out yet though, as a tiny clay pipe has been found in recent times in a Cheshire field still smouldering! The photograph above is thought to be Ladymeadows, perhaps one of the last sanctuaries left of the Fairy Folk.