Witch's bottle
Category
Glass
Date
Unknown
Materials
Glass, Silk
Measurements
290 mm (Length); 45 mm (Diameter)
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1333091.1
Summary
One of a pair of witch's bottles. Bottle with three bands around glass at base, two in centre and one around neck. Formerly a fire extinguisher filled with multi-coloured silk thread. No stopper. This one is broken at the neck. East Anglican folk lore suggests that if hung inside a house the dwelling is protected against witches. In notebook no.2, page 20 (1340945.2) Charles Wade refers to: 'Admiral 58. Three glass Bottles Filled with strands of coloured silk. ?purpose.'
Provenance
Given to the National Trust with Snowshill Manor in 1951 by Charles Paget Wade.
References
Wade, 1944: Charles Paget Wade, Contents of Snowshill Manor. Volume 2 The Admiral’s Room, 1944, page 20