Undiscovered ‘witches marks’ found at Gainsborough Old Hall
Undiscovered ‘witches marks’ have been revealed at Gainsborough Old Hall.
Over the course of two years, long-time English Heritage volunteer, Rick Berry, has discovered and mapped around 20 carved ritual protection, or apotropaic marks (sometimes called ‘witches marks’), at the Tudor property, once visited by Henry VIII and his then Queen, Catherine Howard, making it one of the most identified at any of the charity’s 400 sites.
A wide range of designs have been found, with a particular concentration of marks in the servants’ wing.
Six-petalled flowers within a simple circle, known as daisy wheels and hexafoils, believed to trap demons, are among the marks found by Mr Berry.
Others include overlapping Vs or Marian marks, which are believed by some to call on the Virgin Mary for protection, and a pentangle, which, despite modern connotations, was originally used to protect against evil.
The research also revealed rare ‘curse’ inscriptions, which must have been made around the time that William Hickman owned the property (from 1596), though they are more commonly associated with the Roman and Anglo-Saxon period.
As well as the carvings are approximately 100 burn marks – once believed to protect against fire, making Gainsborough Old Hall one of English Heritage’s most ‘protected’ sites.
Kevin Booth, English Heritage’s head of Collections, said: “It is astonishing that centuries on the amazing old buildings in our care still have secrets waiting to be discovered.
“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 quite such a high concentration of protective carvings remains a mystery.
“We have a great team of volunteers across the country and it is testament to Rick’s passion for the place that these incredible protection marks have been found at Gainsborough.”
With more than 400 sites in its care, English Heritage will welcome thousands of visitors over the Halloween period, and these new findings at Gainsborough make the property a clear contender for the spookiest site of them all.