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A “STAGGERING” array of witches’ marks, first carved to ward off evil spirits and demons, have been discovered in a more than 500-year-old hall.
Gainsborough Old Hall, an English Heritage property in Lincolnshire, has more than 20 ritual protection symbols carved into its walls.
The Gainsborough Old Hall, an English Heritage property in Lincolnshire, is more than 500 years old.[/caption]
Marks such as these can be found on the walls of many old houses, barns and buildings in England[/caption]
Rick Berry, a volunteer at English Heritage, discovered and mapped the witch marks – or apotropaic marks – which are the most identified at any of the charity’s 400 sites[/caption]
Some of them are believed to trap demons, prevent fires and call on the Virgin Mary for protection.
The charity’s head of collections, Kevin Booth, said: “It is astonishing that, centuries on, the amazing old buildings in our care still have secrets waiting to be discovered.”
Rick Berry, a volunteer at English Heritage, discovered and mapped the witch marks – or apotropaic marks – which are the most identified at any of the charity’s 400 sites.
Berry believes some of the “rare curse inscriptions” were made by William Hickman, who owned the hall from 1596.
In one inscription, Hickman’s name is written upside down – a practice that was widely believed to curse the named person.
According to the charity, a curse has not been seen before at any of its sites.
English Heritage added that there were “inscriptions believed to trap demons and Marian marks, which are believed by some to call on the Virgin Mary for protection”, while a pentangle was also found.
Marks such as these can be found on the walls of many old houses, barns and buildings in England.
Despite their name, witch marks have little to do with witchcraft.
They are instead designed to ward off evil.
In onE inscription, Hickman’s name is written upside down – a practice that was widely believed to curse the named person[/caption]
Alongside carvings, roughly 100 burn marks were found around the hall[/caption]
The word apotropaic comes from the Greek word apotropaios, which is translated as averting danger.
Alongside carvings, roughly 100 burn marks were found around the hall.
These were once believed to protect against fires.
Booth said: “The Old Hall has undoubtedly had a tumultuous past, not least under the ownership of the apparently unpopular William Hickman.
“But why it’s the scene of a high concentration of protective carvings remains a mystery.”
Common types of witches' marks
Overlapping Vs
One common form of witch marking is overlapping Vs.
These are also called marian marks, as they are intended to represent the phrase ‘Virgin of virgins’, and invoke the power of the Virgin Mary.
Daisy wheel
Another common witch mark is the daisy wheel, or hexafoil.
The geometric symbol of a six petalled flower would have been drawn using a compass.
The theory was that if a demon saw the lines and tried to follow them, they would become trapped.
Pentangle
While pentangles have become associated with evil in recent centuries, it was initially a symbol used to ward off danger.
The ancient mark, which dates back to 3,000 BC, was used during the medieval period to trap evil spirits in an endless line – much like the daisy wheel.
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