There is no evidence of ‘witches’ in early English houses, historian | An inheritance

For many years, English Heritage and Historic England claim to have found “witch marks” or “ritual marks” on the walls of ancient buildings, including churches and castles.

Now an architectural historian has said that there is “no evidence” that these symbols have anything to do with witchcraft or “mystical meanings”.

Daisy wheels, or hexafoils, are among the most recognizable signs of the masons who worked on the buildings, according to Jennifer Alexander, professor of architectural history at Warwick University and author of the new study.

He told the Guardian: “Do you remember at school when you were given a compass for the first time and you made a daisy wheel? That’s it. There are hundreds of such symbols and they are (for) different skills. There are so many things you can use to teach students, to give them the ability to use tools on stationary stones.”

He said such symbols are “useful geometry” being taught and tested. “Daisy wheels and stone engraving systems and learning to use straight-edged compasses for geometry.”

Scorning their identification as “witch marks,” Alexander said: “Anything on the stone building that looks like it was designed by him is considered a very bad thing now.

In 2024, English Heritage, a charity that manages ancient sites, announced that research on Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire uncovered “a remarkable history of ritual protection, or apotroropaic signs – sometimes called ‘witches’ signs’ – very prominent in every one of our 400 pages”.

It added at the time: “Simple circles that seem to disappear inside a daisy wheel or a hexafoil are some of the symbols found… These are believed to attract demons. Others include the Vs or Marian, which some believe calls to the Virgin Mary for protection, and the pentangle, which – although it was evil – was used against modern demons.”

In 2016, Historic EnglandA government agency that advises the government and helps protect the environment, called on people to look for signs of witchcraft that “date back to a time when belief in witchcraft and the supernatural was widespread”.

His website they say that symbols of witches, symbols of ritual protection or apotroropaic symbols have been found in many historical places, while they admit that the importance of the hexafoil is disputed.

“For example, the world of Wicca, which is a modern pagan religion, sees them as solar phenomena,” it says. “One school of thought suggests that they are not religious and can be a geometric game for students…

Such markings have been found on the stones of very large barns, including one dating back to the 1400s at Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire.

Alexander said: “There is no evidence that these are signs of witchcraft.” What they tell us is that when the barn was not important for the produce of the garden, it was probably a school room or a training place for craftsmen.

“There are many designs on the walls and they are very different from the art. If you draw a circle with a compass, you get three parts in a circular way and it is difficult to make a good clean line because your hand is upside down. When you do it on paper, it is bad enough. When you do it even to train a stone, people”.

He also said: “There are things to prevent the evil eye, but they are automatic things…

Alexander’s book, Symbols of Stonemasonshas been published by Routledge ahead of this week’s International Medieval Congress in Leeds. He explores how symbols are used and what they reveal about buildings and the people who built them.

History England said: “We welcome new research that helps us better understand these signs.” As we learn more about these symbols, we see that the people who created and use them grow.

English An inheritance he said: “We welcome debates like this, which inspire new ideas in the past, and we look forward to seeing where future research will lead.”