MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES: HILL OF THE PIXIES PART ONE

Here is a rather odd story from Macclesfield – from Doug Pickford`s “ Macclesfield Mysterious and Macabre”

PART ONE

`Pexhill Road is now a charming leafy lane containing some handsome homes. It leads out to Henbury, Siddington and open countryside, and has, for many years, been a charming lane along which to take a pleasant stroll, especially in the summer time. Indeed, it was one of the lanes along which Macclesfield people used to amble at Easter, countless hundreds of them taking advantage of the first holiday of spring to walk away from the smoke and grime of the town and fill their lungs with fresh clean air.

Yet how many of them were aware at the time, and how many are aware at the moment, that the name `Pexhill,` the area that the road passes , means quite simply ` the hill of the pixies`?

It may be that superstitious people once living around that spot believed that fairies, or pixies, lived in that area, and so it was called Pixy Hill, and the name was gradually changed to Pex Hill. Indeed, this was a common belief at one time. I know of a Wincle farmer who still leaves bread and milk out for `the little people` when he is ploughing his fields or it is harvest time; a sacrifice to the gods, if you like, a remnant of the Celtic practice of making a sacrifice, probably of an animal, to ensure a good crop. Today, perhaps, the little people, or `brownies` as they are sometimes called, cannot get to the bread and milk before the hedgehogs or pet cats living nearby….(1)

To be continued….

1. D.Pickford Macclesfield Mysterious and Macabre p. 185

DARREN ON THE CROWING CRESTED COBRA

Well known to both those who know snakes and those who know the literature on animal myths and anecdotes, the ‘feathered serpent’ is more often known as the Crowing crested cobra. “In some versions the snake has the head of a chicken, complete with combs and wattles, in others it has merely a crest of feathers. This fabulous serpent is, of course, highly poisonous. In most cases it is believed to have the ability to kill its human victims merely by looking at them. It lives on human flesh and can be detected in the areas where it lives by its offensive smell and the strange and frightening noises it makes at night” (Spawls 1979, p. 95).

Read on...

UP UP ON THE ROOF

Whilst the rest of the world has its office parties and winds down for the festive season, Graham applies first aid to a leaking CFZ Chimney...

HAUNTED SKIES: Times (The) 22.4.53

http://hauntedskies.blogspot.com/2011/12/times-22453.html

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday's News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

On this day in 1955 Cardiff was proclaimed the Capital city of Wales.
And now the news:

First Guidelines for Lab Chimps Drawn Up
Winter Diets? The Secret Is to Chill the Extremiti...
The Physics Behind Great White Shark Attacks On Se...
5000 birds crash land in a car park - 1500 die
Two new species of moss frog found in South-East A...
Pedigree dogs suffering - RSPCA
Adder disappearance in Nottinghamshire 'very worry...

The best castle in the world is in the centre of Cardiff, take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIX-31hsCwY

KARL SHUKER: THE FAIRY HOUND AND THE POOKA - A CRYPTO-FOLKTALE FOR CHRISTMAS

During my time on Facebook, I've made many friends all over the world who share my interests in cryptozoology and animal mythology. One of these friends is Randi Wood, from Texas, USA, to whom I recently recounted a very brief version of a traditional Irish folktale about a Celtic fairy hound. She liked it so much that she said she would love to read a full-length version of it if ever I decided to write one. Well, now I have done, so here, as an early Christmas present to you, Randi, is my story. I hope you enjoy it - Happy Christmas!

Read on...

DALE DRINNON: Makaras, Ozarks Howlers and Dobhar-Chu

Catching up on some formerly lost emails: Makaras, Ozarks Howlers and Dobhar-Chu:
http://frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com/2011/12/finding-lost-letters-from-mailbag.html

CFZ PEOPLE: Dan Holdsworth

Happy Birthday old friend

THE FRANKLEY GRUNT

I was woken up this morning by a telephone call from the BBC West Midlands. Did I know anything about the 'Frankley Grunt'? ..they asked me. I tried not to laugh. For some reason 'Frankly Mr Shankly' by The Smiths went through my head. I did my best to say something intelligent, and somehow agreed to give an interview on the subject this lunchtime. The nice BBC lady said that she would email me the details, and I went back to sleep with Prudence snoring in my ear.

This is the story:

I heard some very strange noises around the Great Park / Frankley area when I was up very late a few nights ago and others have reported to us that they have too. It seems to be in the early hours of the morning, between around 1.30-3.30am, and has been happening for a couple of weeks now.

Dawn Cotterill said on Facebook: “Has anyone got any idea what the “noise” is around Frankley that keeps waking me up at 2.30 every morning. 2 weeks ago I thought it was a helicopter in the distance, it sounds like some kind of machinery and is now officially driving me mad.”

Read on...

The big question is: what the bloody hell am I going to say in my interview?

ANDREW MAY: Words from the Wild Frontier

News and stories from the remoter fringes of the CFZ blogosphere...

From CFZ Australia:

• This Bearded Dragon loves his iPad — A geeky lizard has become a hit on YouTube...

From CFZ Canada:

• CryptoReindeer — Or was Santa's sleigh pulled by pterosaurs?