Experts believe that craftsmen renovating Knole in anticipation of a visit from James I carved the witchmarks. In the wake of the failed Gunpowder Plot, the marks in the Upper King’s Room were intended to protect the King from evil spirits.
Fear and witchcraft
Mass hysteria swept the country following the assassination attempt on the Protestant King James I by Catholic plotters, including Guy Fawkes. Accusations of demonic forces and witches at work were rife at a time, following decades of religious upheaval.
The practice of carving intersecting lines and symbols was thought to form a ‘demon trap’, warding off evil spirits and preventing demonic possessions. The witchmarks illustrate how fear governed the everyday lives of people living through the early 17th century.
James I was noted for his personal interest in witchcraft and demons. He passed a witchcraft law in 1604 making it an offence punishable by death and even wrote a book, Daemonologie, in support of witch hunting.