Witch's bottle
Category
Glass
Date
Unknown
Materials
Glass, Silk
Measurements
292 mm (Length); 45 mm (Diameter)
Order this imageCollection
Snowshill Manor and Garden, Gloucestershire
NT 1333091.2
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. East Anglican folk lore suggests that if hung inside the house it 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