Skip to content
  • home
  • map
  • search
Capturing Cambridge
  • search
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • Home
  • /
  • Projects
  • /
  • South Cambridge­shire
  • /
  • Sawston
  • Back Forward

33 New Road, Sawston

Witchcraft and Apotropaic Markings in Sawston

1920s

A series of Witches’ marks or Apotropaic Markings were recently found at this site. They are intended to ward off witches and evil spirits by carving patterns such as ‘Daisy wheels, or hexafoils’.  It is believed these carvings date from the early 1920s.

Click the link below to see a full scan.

BACKDOOR OVERALL NUMBERED 2

 

A multi-coloured brick featuring an embossed, circular, petallike floral design on its right side and a textured surface.

A digital drawing of two light grey rectangular stone fragments featuring red etched geometric circles and linear markings.

Whilst the inhabitants, and possible  engravers of these symbols, came from Whittlesey, Sawston itself had an existing history of witchcraft in the village.  See this history of  St Mary’s Sawston for more information.

Tags

  • apotropaic
  • witchcraft

Projects

  • Sawston

Share this article

Share onFacebook Share onBluesky

Contribute

Do you have any information about the people or places in this article? If so, then please let us know using the Contact page or by emailing capturingcambridge@museumofcambridge.org.uk.

Licence

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 not including content on external links as indicated byexternal link.

Sawston

The Witch’s Cottage, Woodditton

Community Centre / Methodist Chapel, Black Horse Drove, Fenland

5 The Green, Histon

21 Vicarage Avenue, Sawston

9 Mill Lane, Sawston

White Lion Inn, 96 High Street, Sawston

Sawston Hall

College House, New Road, Sawston

Bake House, 107 High Street, Sawston

The Woolpack, Sawston

61 High Street, The Town House, Sawston

112 High Street, Sawston

Huntingdon Farmhouse, 106 High Street, Sawston