Photograph taken at the wonky Tudor masterpiece of Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire. Image shows marks carved into a wooden beam to ward off evil. Tudors were superstitious and believed that these apotropaic marks would keep away demons, witches and evil spirits.

Apotropaic Marks
for #BlueSkyArtShow theme of #Wood

#EastCoastKin #photography #apotropaicmarks #witch #marks #charms #Tudor #LittleMoretonHall #Cheshire
(iPhone camera)

Old stone wall with circular markings in a close grouping

Old stone wall with a deep circular marking in carved into it with curved lines coming out from the centre of the circle to the edge

A series of carvings - each has three straight lines that meet in a point at the top. Almost like an arrow pointing up but the lines are all equal length.

Old stone wall with faint circular markings in a close grouping

I walked to the Tithe Barn in Bradford on Avon yesterday. It’s 5 mins from home and has these wonderful apotropaic marks. They’re everywhere down there, if you look closely. The angular lines are about 10-12 feet from the ground.

#ApotropaicMarks #Folklore #MaterialCulture #VernacularArchitecture

A heavy, vertically boarded timber door accessing the Nave of St Peter’s Church, Cassington. The outer face of the door has battens covering the boards and substantial hinges, painted black, and nearly as wide as the door.

A heavy, vertically boarded timber door accessing the Nave of St Peter’s Church, Cassington. The inner face of the door has horizontal board covering the boards and a substantial timber lock housing.

Detail of extensive, purpose made burn marks on the vertical boarding of the door to act as protection from malign entities.

A large, boarded door provides access to the interior or St Peter’s Church, Cassington, Oxfordshire.

Protective burn marks evident on both internal and external sides.

#AdoorableThursday
#ApotropaicMarks