At the end of October, just as the season for ghostly tales and mysterious stories was in full swing, researchers from English Heritage made a fascinating discovery. In the eastern part of England, inside the 500-year-old Gainsborough Old Hall, they uncovered a series of "witch marks" and other protective symbols carved into the wooden walls of the manor. These marks tell a story of ancient fears and beliefs, with former residents seemingly going to great lengths to protect themselves from evil forces they believed threatened their lives.

This recent find includes about 20 distinct symbols, also known as apotropaic marks, which were commonly used in the past to ward off harm and guard against supernatural forces. Gainsborough Old Hall has remained largely unchanged for centuries, and these symbols allow us a glimpse into the minds of those who lived through times when fear of evil spirits and the occult was very real. Among the marks, researchers identified overlapping Vs, likely calling upon the Virgin Mary to protect the household. Another prominent symbol found was the pentagram, which had long been seen as a sign of protection.

The walls of the old manor are adorned not only with carved symbols but also with nearly 100 burn marks. These burns weren’t accidental; they were deliberate and served as a form of protection. In the past, people believed that fire could repel evil forces, and burning specific marks into the walls was thought to prevent actual fires or any other harm that might befall the home. English Heritage archaeologist Kevin Booth describes Gainsborough Old Hall as one of the best-preserved examples of a residence filled with these symbols, which helped shield people from what they perceived as very real threats in their everyday lives.

Yet questions remain about why residents felt the need for so many protective symbols and who exactly created them. Booth notes that Gainsborough Old Hall has a "tumultuous history" and suggests that the marks may be linked to the presence of certain past residents, like the merchant William Hickmann, who took over the manor in 1596. Hickmann is rumored to have been harsh and authoritarian, and some people may have feared his influence. His name, carved backwards on one of the walls, stands out among the markings. Such an inversion was thought to place a curse upon the individual, hinting at the complex relationships and perhaps even conflicts that may have existed in the hall during Hickmann’s time.

Gainsborough Old Hall is not the only building where such symbols have been uncovered. Throughout England, English Heritage has documented more than 400 protective marks and witch signs across their historic sites. This includes grand homes and cottages as well as notable forts and castles. For instance, similar symbols have been found in Shropshire’s Stokesay Castle, the elegant Boscobel House, and Deal Castle, built by Henry VIII. This widespread presence of apotropaic symbols reflects the deeply rooted beliefs in supernatural protection that people held for centuries, and the marks they left behind reveal their efforts to shield themselves from both physical and spiritual dangers.

Archaeologists are piecing together the context and meaning of these symbols to better understand their role in society at the time. The symbols reflect a past where people turned to faith, superstition, and symbols to gain a sense of control over their fate. For researchers and historians, the marks are an invaluable part of England’s cultural heritage, preserving not only artistic expressions but also the fears, hopes, and protective customs of earlier generations.

In continuing their work, English Heritage hopes to explore how these symbols varied across different sites and regions, giving us a fuller picture of the way these protective practices evolved. For now, Gainsborough Old Hall stands as an incredible example of how beliefs are woven into the fabric of our history, and how symbols carved in wood centuries ago still carry echoes of protection, faith, and mystery.

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