Tar Barrels The town typically stages annual events around
Guy Fawkes Night when, in a tradition dating from the 17th century, barrels soaked in
tar are set alight, and carried aloft through parts of the town by residents. The festivities begin in the early evening with children's, youths' and women's events, culminating in the men's event when a total of 17 barrels are lit outside each of the four
public houses in the town. (Originally there were 12 public houses in the town). The barrels, increasing in size up to 30 kg, are carried through the town centre, often packed with onlookers, in an exhilarating and risky spectacle. Only those born in the town, or who have lived there for most of their lives, may carry a barrel. Generations of the same family have been known to compete across the years and it is thought that the event may have originated as a means of warding off evil spirits, similar to other British fire festivals, around the time of
Halloween. In recent years the event has been jeopardised by the need for increasing public
liability insurance coverage. Nevertheless, the event continues and the town of 7,000 people increases to well over 10,000. During the event all roads in and out of Ottery are closed for safety reasons with diversions in place. On 30 October 2008 the annual event was threatened by a severe hailstorm, which hit East Devon shortly after midnight, with the
Fire Service describing the situation in the Ottery St Mary area as "absolute chaos". The storm led to serious flooding in the town, caused mainly by
storm drains becoming clogged with hailstones. Roads became blocked and the
Coastguard service was required to airlift some people to safety. The flooding also caused problems on the
Millennium Green, where the annual bonfire and fairground were being constructed in preparation for 5 November celebrations. One of the owners of the fairground said that the builders working there were "lucky to be alive". The clear-up operation was entirely successful, however, and both the carnival procession and the Tar Barrels and bonfire night celebrations went ahead as planned. In 2009, the Factory Barrel was sabotaged by a visitor who threw an aerosol can into the barrel. The can exploded in the heat and 12 spectators required treatment for burns. In an unrelated incident, the roof of the old fire station burned down on the night of the 2009 tar barrels. In 2020, the tar barrel event was cancelled as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic, however in recent years it has recommenced.
Pixie Day Pixie Day is an old tradition which takes place annually in June. The day commemorates a legend of pixies being banished from the town to local caves known as the 'Pixie's Parlour'. The Pixie Day legend originates from the early days of Christianity, when a local bishop decided to build a church in Otteri (Ottery St. Mary), and commissioned a set of bells to come from
Wales, and to be escorted by monks on their journey. On hearing of this, the pixies were worried, as they knew that once the bells were installed it would be the
death knell of their rule over the land. So they cast a spell over the monks to redirect them from the road to Otteri to the road leading them to the cliff's edge at
Sidmouth. Just as the monks were about to fall over the cliff, one of the monks stubbed his toe on a rock and said "God bless my soul" and the spell was said to be broken. The bells were then brought to Otteri and installed. However, the pixies' spell was not completely broken; each year on a day in June the 'pixies' come out and capture the town's bell ringers and imprison them in Pixies' Parlour to be rescued by the Vicar of Ottery St Mary. This legend is re-enacted each year by the
Cub and
Brownie groups of Ottery St Mary, with a specially constructed Pixie's Parlour in the Town Square (the original Pixie's Parlour can be found along the banks of the River Otter).
Old Ottregians Society An inhabitant of Ottery St Mary is known as an "Ottregian". One Sunday afternoon in 1898 six young men from Ottery, who were then living in London, met on the steps of
St Paul's Cathedral, and resolved to form a Society to promote good fellowship among Ottery people wherever they may be. So was founded the Old Ottregians Society, which took as its motto
Floreat Ottregia ("May Ottery Flourish"). The Old Ottregians society still exists (1997).
Old Ottery song Another tradition in Ottery that continues today is the daily playing of the Old Ottery song. At eight o'clock, midday and four o'clock each day, the church of Ottery plays the Old Ottery song after the
peal of the
church bells. Tradition has it that the funerals of Old Ottregians always take place at 12.00 noon, with the funeral service commencing immediately following the playing of the Old Ottery song: The words are as follows ('kine' are cattle): Sweet-breathing kine, / The old grey Church, / The curfew tolling slow, / The glory of the Western Sky, / The warm red earth below. // O! Ottery dear! O! Ottery fair! / My heart goes out to thee, / Thou art my home, wher'er I roam, / The West! The West for me!
John Coke's ghost Within St Mary's Church, a colourful effigy of a soldier named John Coke can be found in a niche. He is said to have been murdered by a younger brother in 1632, and therefore tradition avers that his spirit steps down from the alcove and wanders about the church interior.
Media appearances A season 3 episode of the BBC radio comedy series
Cabin Pressure features Ottery St Mary. ''
Charlie Cooper's Myth Country
, released by BBC Three on BBC iPlayer, visited Ottery St Mary in an episode on Winter Solstice
that featured Tar Barrelling. The programme was an exploration of traditional British myths, legends and folk rituals. Cooper has said that it was inspired by his work on This Country''. ==Disasters==