Just in time for Halloween, English Heritage has announced the discovery of a “staggering array” of apotropaic marks, or “witches’ marks,” carved into the walls of Gainsborough Old Hall, a Tudor manor house in Lincolnshire, CNN reports.
The marks, believed to have been used for ritual protection against evil, were uncovered by volunteer Rick Berry, who spent two years meticulously mapping over 20 carvings inside the grand building.
The most common marks found were simple circles, intended to trap demons, that would typically have had a six-petal design (a hexafoil). Some circles lack the petals, possibly due to fading or the carver’s limitations. Other marks included overlapping Vs, known as Marian marks, thought to invoke the protection of the Virgin Mary, and a pentangle, a symbol used to ward off evil.
A particularly intriguing discovery was the name of former owner William Hickman, written upside down. This unusual inscription, dating back to around 1596, suggests a curse may have been placed upon him. Defacing someone’s name was a common method of cursing in ancient Roman and Anglo-Saxon times, but this is the first instance of it found at an English Heritage property.
The hall also contains approximately 100 burn marks, believed to protect against fire. These findings highlight the deep-rooted beliefs of the Tudor era in magical practices and the power of apotropaic marks.
English Heritage experts believe the marks were inscribed into the hall’s walls to protect its inhabitants from witches, evil spirits, and even misfortune. Similar symbols have been found in churches, homes, and caves across England, dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
