Tradition: English Mythology
Alternative Names: Laurence, Touch of Laurence
Category: Fairy
The Myth
Lazy Laurence is a mischievous pixie and nature spirit associated with the New Forest of Hampshire and Dorset. He is particularly connected with orchards and apple trees, and is believed to protect orchards and the cider made from their fruit. His presence is felt through strange spells of sleepiness and confusion: he may send people dreaming beneath fruit trees, make them lazy or dithering, or give them stomach cramps. Apple gatherers and careless visitors to the forest are especially liable to feel his influence.
People once spoke of laziness as a sign that Laurence had taken hold of someone. A person who suddenly became idle might be said to have “Laurence upon him” or to have “a touch of Laurence.” He was treated with enough respect and fear that his name became attached to the local landscape, including Laurence’s Barrow, a small ancient burial mound on Beaulieu Heath. The barrow stands near other places associated with pixie lore, including Watt’s Parlour and Cold Pixies’ Cave.
Laurence’s reputation was not confined to the New Forest. Stories of him were also known in neighboring Sussex and Somerset, where he could serve as a frightening bogeyman for children, while traditions from Devon and Cornwall emphasized his laziness. In the New Forest, however, he remained especially associated with fruit trees, cider, and the strange drowsiness that could overcome people beneath their branches. His mischievous influence turned ordinary tiredness, indecision, and indigestion into signs that the elusive forest pixie had been at work.
Sources
“Lazy Laurence.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 5, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazy_Laurence