Building and folklore

chickenbone

Hi folks, I'm not even sure where to begin this story. My family land has an old disused road on it, it hasn't been a road in over a hundred years. I'm about to start building a house on the land, everything is in place and ready to go, but my aunt who owns the land became very anxious when she saw that I was going to build across the old road, and asked me to move the site where it wouldn't impinge on the road. I was stunned when she said I couldn't build on the road because of the 'Little People'. I laughed it off at the time, but in the last week quite a few people, people I would consider practical, educated and down to earth, have reiterated her sentiment. I don't know what to do now, I certainly don't want to go against her wishes, but it is by far the best site for the house. Have any of you builders come across this before?

BarneyMc

So you've planning permission on this site?

chickenbone

Yes. I'm certainly not looking forward to telling the council WHY I want to move the house a few feet!
Really, I'm just wondering have people in the trade ever come across similar before.

Dardania

Crazy but no doubt other people have run into similar. Like an Indian burial ground or similar.

If it's only moving a few feet, might be easier to move it. And you could turn it into a positive, like name the house after something to do with the road or the little people

sydthebeat

Surely "little people"s roads are only a few feet wide

BarneyMc

Would love to see a photo of this! I would make a feature of it - lots of potential!

chickenbone

sydthebeat wrote: »

Surely "little people"s roads are only a few feet wide

I think, from doing a little googling, that over the years the superstition has broadened from "fairy paths" to include all disused old roads. No unfortunately, it's about 20 ft wide, and right through my front door!

Bracken81

chickenbone wrote: »

I think, from doing a little googling, that over the years the superstition has broadened from "fairy paths" to include all disused old roads. No unfortunately, it's about 20 ft wide, and right through my front door!

:-)
I've gotten no words for this! :-)

Hope you get sorted out though

chickenbone

Negotiations with the fairy council are ongoing.
(This is NOT a reference to any upcoming referendum)

mfceiling

Where I grew up in rural tyrone there was a "fairy" tree on a hill not far from us. We were warned to stay away from it and to be fair we never went near it.

A local farmer who owned the land wanted to level out the field and put up a couple of animal houses on it. His father warned him not to touch the tree but he went ahead and bulldozed the field and threw up 2 houses.

He died a couple of months later at less than 50 years old from seemingly natural causes!! It's still a big topic of conversation up our way. Me....meh.

chickenbone

You wouldn't believe how many similar stories I've heard in the last week!