Witch Bottles & Worn Shoes: A History of Home Protection Folklore Practices

During extensive renovation works at Museum of the Home, one such secret was uncovered.

In November 2018, builders discovered an old worn boot that was hidden in a walled up chimney void from when the museum was an almshouse. What was the boot doing there? Since a chimney void is hardly a likely place to accidentally lose a boot, who put it there? What purpose did it serve? Can we truly step into the mindset of the people who interred these objects – or will they remain a mystery?

The answers to these questions come from an ancient heritage of home-protection folklore practices throughout the British Isles reaching back through time – but also practiced far more recently than you might think.

For this evening lecture, we invite you to an exclusive viewing with a chance to see the hidden boot alongside an exhibition of other historical items used in home-protection folklore. Then enjoy a glass of wine and join Dr Romany Reagan in the Studio to learn the curious history of the secrets within our walls.

Image: Romany Reagan