Many of the historic houses in our care have intriguing objects with connections to magic, mystery or death. From witch bottles to death masks and a boat made of bones, discover some of the mysterious objects in our collections.
Magic and mystery at Snowshill
The Witch's Garret
Tucked away at the top of Snowshill Manor in Gloucestershire is a secret room which is closed to the public, called the Witch's Garret. Charles Paget Wade decorated this room with a ceremonial magic circle on the floor and adorned the walls with images of male and female mandrakes, a plant closely associated with witchcraft and alchemy.
Wade collected many mysterious objects, including armillary spheres, witch bottles and a magician’s chest. He also designed unusual clocks, including the Nychthemeron, a 24-hour clock that features astrological and zodiac symbols, and the Unicorn clock – named after the Unicorn room at Snowshill, it features images from a Tarot pack of playing cards.
Spells and sorcery
Discover objects which tell tales of witchcraft and potions, from ancient Greece to Harry Potter.
A large metal cauldron that's featured in the Harry Potter films dominates the Warming Room at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire. It's believed to have originally been used for cooking by the nuns, before the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539.
Medea, a sorceress from Greek mythology, is depicted holding a vial of magic potion in a pastel study by Evelyn De Morgan at Wightwick Manor in the West Midlands. According to legend, Medea was deserted by her lover Jason and turned to her magical powers to enact revenge.
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Skulls and bones
From curious models made of bone to quirky tobacco holders, these are just some of the unusual items in our collections.
It'll come as no surprise that you’ll find a skull at Greenway, the former Devon holiday home of the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie. Despite its realistic appearance, it’s not an actual human skull but a porcelain jar that Christie’s husband Max Mallowan used to keep his tobacco in.
During the Napoleonic Wars, French prisoners of war found a way to make money by carving elaborate models out of animal bone, which were then sold to the public with the help of the prison guards. There are several examples in the places we care for, including a ship at Treasurer's House in York.
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The grave and beyond
Explore the more morbid objects in our collection, including a coffin-shaped snuffbox and an allegory of death.
An allegory is a picture that can be interpreted to reveal another meaning. Here, death is symbolised by a violin-playing skeleton, who stands before a rich merchant. The merchant is counting his money. The moral message is emphasised by another skeleton in the background approaching a customer. One of many versions of the same subject by Flemish artist Frans Francken II (1581-1642), this one is painted on copper and hangs at Nostell in West Yorkshire.
A tiny oak coffin measuring 9cm x 3cm can be found at Llanerchaeron in Wales. It’s actually a snuffbox and as well as providing a quirky talking point, the shape of the box would have served as a memento mori, a reminder to the owner and to others that life is fleeting.
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Death masks
In the days before photography, death masks were a way of creating a lasting, accurate likeness of a person. Wax or plaster would be spread onto the face of the corpse and left to harden. The resulting mould could then be used to cast multiple impressions of the face, such as the pewter version of Sir Isaac Newton’s visage hanging on the Study wall at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire.
Throughout history people have often looked for ways to control or prevent misfortunes and catastrophe, and events which we might now pass off as just part of life were frequently blamed on the forces of evil. Individuals or groups of people were often labelled as witches who cast spells or curses on people, property, places, crops or livestock. With belief in the powers of darkness so common, people found ingenious ways to ward off evil spirits and deeds.
A hidden talisman?
A Georgian shoe was found under the floorboards at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire. It's likely to have been deliberately placed there as it was common right up until the 20th century to hide shoes in walls, under floors and in chimneys. Many have been uncovered in recent years and the reason they were hidden is still debated, but one theory is that they were believed to protect against evil.
Witch bottles
Witch bottles are jars or bottles which contained spells that would draw malevolent magic into them, preventing evil spirits from affecting peoples’ lives. A bottle with a liquid inside was found upside down in a stone boundary wall on National Trust land on the Isle of Purbeck in 1986. It's believed it was placed there to prevent disease in the cattle that grazed the field.
Art and collections
We care for one of the world's largest and most significant collections of art and heritage objects. Explore the highlights, our latest major exhibitions, curatorial research and more.
Learn about some of the misleading objects, paintings and architectural features in the historic houses we look after, and discover the truth behind these optical illusions.
Learn about the mysterious markings our ancestors carved into doorways, fireplaces and joists to ward off evil and protect their homes from witches and demons.
Dummy boards, also called silent companions, are life-size, flat, wooden figures. Find out why they were popular in the 17th century and where you can see them at the places we care for.
