Mixon Mine Fairies

High up on Morridge Moor in the Staffordshire Moorlands between Mixon Mines and Old Mixon Hay farm can be found a pasture where if the story is to be believed, there once was seen the Fairy Folk dancing in a circle.

The story goes that a man named Elijah Cope who was from the nearby town of Leek was stopping at a small farm owned by a Mrs Grindy which was located close to Mixon Mines. They were sat in the parlour and it was late in the evening when Elijah heard a knocking coming from the skirting board and also the table, Mrs Grindy went on to explain to him that the thing that was responsible for making the noises was “Old Nancy”, an old Fairy that had been around for a long time. She had over the years been kind to the Fairy as her Mother had taught her to be, she used to leave food and milk out for her, and even though she had never seen her she believed that her presence had bought good luck to the home.

Elijah was more sceptical in believing that this was the cause of the noise and put it down to the house contracting after being warmed up throughout the day. The following day at about noon he continued his journey and called at a cottage close to Mixon Mines where a Mrs Frith lived, Elijah while talking to her brought up the subject about Fairies and he explained to her what had happened the previous day. On hearing his story she took Elijah to a spot between Old Mixon Hay farm and Mixon Mines in one of the lower fields, she went on to tell him that her Mother had observed the Fairy Folk dancing while wearing different coloured clothing.

The lower pasture on Morridge Moor where the Fairy Folk were said to have been seen dancing

Mrs Frith went on to say that her Mother had lost many items of clothing and she had come to the conclusion that the Fairy Folk were responsible.

Most Fairy Folk seem to favour boggy ground to dance on and be seen close to, Victoria Gardens in the lower part of Leek is one such place that they are said to have frequented  in the past, another place that I have written about is Ladymeadows, a marshy area off the Leek to Ashbourne road close to the village of Bradnop.