Witches' marks in Shakespeare's House

The marks, pentangles and flower like decorations made with compasses have been found in an increasing number of medieval and post-medieval timber framed buildings. They seem to stop being created when better oil based lanterns came into use. The suggestion being that darkness was a major cause of fear of ghosts and witches.

The marks in Shakespeare's house are on the stairs to the cellar and might have been created after Shakespeare's time when the house was a pub.

Witches' marks: public asked to seek ancient scratchings in buildings | Culture | The Guardian

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