Have you noticed that something feels a bit different in Priory Park, Warwick? Stand still, close your eyes, and listen. Listen to the trees rustling in the wind. Feel the gentle breeze on your face. There is magic in the air…. The Pixies have arrived!
Native to Devon and Cornwall, these mythical creatures are reportedly on the move, in search of food and a new place to call home.
We all know that pixies are mischievous but incredibly shy and almost never seen by humans, but that doesn’t mean we can’t see clues of their arrival.
Pixies hide in trees and bushes and under rocks; anywhere that protects them from danger and allows them to remain hidden from sight. However, their bright and elaborately decorated front doors are much easier to spot!
Can you find all 10 pixie doors scattered around the park? They will be hidden from Sunday 2 until Sunday 16 April. (There’s a map to help if you get stuck!)
NOTE: The Flankins, Oakendews, Larkfoals, and Rubyroos went missing, but have been lovingly reproduced and put back out in the park! Check out the updated map for their new locations. Huge thanks to local resident Steve for going above and beyond!
The Flankins | Pippley-Husk | Bodey-Bumpkin | Jippley-Jonx House | Nocky-Nonk-Nock | The Tweaky Weeks | Rubyroos | Daffadowndillys | Oakendews | Larkfoals
1. The Flankins
NOTE: This door went missing but a replica has been made and put back out in the park.
Famed for their speed, The Flankins are messengers and are responsible for delivering news and correspondence across the village and to neighbouring tribes. As fast-movers, they wear comfortable and flexible clothing that allows them to move freely without making a noise. Their tunics and trousers are made from owl feathers, and their mailbags from sycamore leaves.
2. Pippley-Husk
With the sharpest eyes and a sense of smell that would rival any Basset Hound, Pippley-Husk is a Chief-Forager and comes from a long line of Pixie foragers. ‘Pip’, as he’s known to friends, is responsible for finding new sites for the Pixies when they migrate – as he can quickly establish if there is enough food and water to sustain the population. He often sets out ahead of the main convoy to scout out potential new sites. On discovering Priory Park, he described it as “beautiful and bountiful”.
3. Bodey-Bumpkin’s House
The tallest of the Pixies in the park, Bodey-Bumpkin stands an impressive 8cm tall! His long red hair and fair complexion, with tiny freckles across his nose, help camouflage him amongst the autumn leaves. His delicate brown tunic and cloak, embroidered with spider-silk, makes him impossible to see when hiding behind fallen branches and bark; the silk glistening like morning dew. Bodey-Bumkin lives alone and prefers it that way. He enjoys the quieter life, and spends his time whittling tiny figurines out of oak wood for the younger Pixies.
4. Jippley-Jonx House
Laughter is just as important to this particular pixie tribe as food. They thrive on a good chuckle, and slapstick is what gets their bellies wobbling more than anything else. The Jippley-Jonx is similar to a clown or a jester but with one major difference… enormous hands! Their hands are almost as big as their heads and covered in fur-like hair. These incredible hands are used to great effect in their comedy routines, which take place most evenings at dusk. The laughter of Pixies can often be confused for birdsong.
5. Nocky-Nonk-Nock
The most respected group in the village are the Nocky-Nonk-Nocks; a group of elderly Pixies with a combined age of 3,936 years! With age they bring wisdom, but they are also skilled artisans; many of them painters, poets, and musicians. Nocky-Nonk-Nocks preserve and celebrate the history of the tribe and are often called upon to settle disputes. Nocky-Nonk-Nocks are distinguishable by their fiercely blue eyes, which reach a spectacular vibrancy in the Winter months.
6. The Tweaky Weeks
The Tweaky Weeks are responsible for planning parties for all the Pixies in Priory Park. They spend their time collecting petals, leaves, berries and spider webs to create decorations for festivities at all times of year – they can often be spotted amongst snowdrops as spring approaches, or hiding in holly bushes in the winter. They use spider web silk to sew their clothes and decorations, so keep your eyes peeled if you spot a web. They change their clothing for each party, as they like to look their best for their events. Ruffs, tunics and skirts made of petals vary seasonally depending on what they can find in the park. Dew drops are collected for added sparkle and berries used to dye the decorations and clothes to the desired colours.
7. Rubyroos
NOTE: This door went missing but a replica has been made and put back out in the park.
Contrary to what human scientists tell you, the brilliant colours of flowers and petals isn’t a natural phenomenon, it is in fact largely thanks to the Rubyroos! Rubyroos spend a great deal of time painting petals to create vibrant colours to attract honey bees – as honey is traded like gold in the Pixie world, and is a prized commodity. Pixies learned many years ago that making flowers more attractive to bees would increase the amount of honey they could harvest. Rubyroos are easily identifiable by the paint and stains found under their fingernails and on their hands. The more paint on their skin, the higher the ranking of the Rubyroo.
8. Daffadowndillys
Pixies tribes are peaceful and get along with each other and the wildlife they share their homes with. However, they still require a security force to keep out unwanted guests and to protect their supplies from unscrupulous invaders. Like a human army or police force, they wear matching uniforms of gold and green. Their armour is made from discarded snail shells, their shields from hardened acorn shells, and their spears from pine needles.
9. Oakendews
NOTE: This door went missing but a replica has been made and put back out in the park.
Like nearly all living things on our planet, water is hugely important to the survival of Pixies, and the collection and distribution of it is the responsibility of the Oakendews. Rather than carrying buckets of water from streams and brooks, the Oakendews build sophisticated collection systems using leaves and hollow stems of grasses and twigs. They are the engineers of the Pixie world. They can be identified by the belts they wear diagonally across their bodies, packed with all sorts of tools and useful stuff.
10. Larkfoals
NOTE: This door went missing but a replica has been made and put back out in the park.
The Lark Foals are the youngest of the Pixies, and the most mischievous, they spend their days playing pranks on visitors to Priory Park. If you see blossom falling around you suddenly, it is probably the cheeky Lark Foals shaking the branches to dislodge the petals. They also like to hurl water droplets almost as big as themselves from high up in the trees to land on unsuspecting walker’s heads! They are always well camouflaged in outfits made from woven nettles, as they need to stay hidden so that no one, Pixie or human, catches them playing their tricks! They are often in trouble with Bodey-Bumpkin, who does not appreciate their high-jinx.
Map
The doors will be hidden around the park from Sunday 2 until Sunday 16 April 2023!
