The houses have been here for over one hundred years and were built in a circle. Not many people know the reason for this. Yet legend has it that the architects who designed the houses, both had the same dream one night, that they were to change and redraw their plans.
The houses were destined to be built in rows, yet when the two met the next day to finalise their drawings, they both curiously sported the idea of building the houses in a circle. Sharing their dream from the night before they discovered they had both visualised a large tree on a circle of grass with houses facing in towards it.
They admitted it was all very curious, but being men of the world, they dismissed the idea as fanciful and pooh poohed the coincidence.
Submitting their newly completed drawings to the local district council and while awaiting their decision, the two architects decided to visit the site to look around. They had agreed to meet at the Grey Horse Public House and sampled a few ales before they arrived at the place where the new build was planned.
Turning the corner, to their surprise the usually dark area was lit with a strange iridescent golden glow, where numerous tiny creatures with transparent sparkling wings were dancing in the moonlight. To their amazement this was on the very spot they had visualised the tree in their mutual dream.
Although the ale had been strong, they knew this sight was not of their world, and waited and listened in awe as the wee folk sang out their warning!
Our fairy folk will not be banned,
We’ve lived for centuries on this land,
A curse on those who take our place,
No buildings on our sacred space!
The wee folk continued to dance as the two men were transfixed, yet within minutes they were gone and the space was dark and empty once more. The architects agreed then and there to recreate the houses they had seen in their dream.
Staying up all night they finished in the early hours of the next morning and submitted their new plans, making an excuse that the drainage would be better suited to this design.
Luckily for them, the plans were passed and the building work was soon underway, They made sure to create a grassy circle in the middle and planted a white beam tree on the very spot they had encountered the fairies on that dark evening, after a few ales in The Grey Horse Public House.
Story by Lorraine Weightman ©️
Illustration by Fr John Bagnall
