A new exhibition has opened showcasing the darker side of Wiltshire.
Wiltshire is a county shrouded in mystery from looming stone circles to large white horses carved into the hillside, and along with it came many superstitions.
Now an exhibition has opened to highlight some of these myths and superstitions.
The exhibition opened in Trowbridge Museum called Woeful Wiltshire bringing to life many tales collected from all over the county.
Ordinary folk in the past once buried iron blades under the threshold to ‘sever’ incoming curses.
Thinking iron was a ground binding energy to focus charms with its ritual energy a dynamic protection around a home.
Householders once nailed horseshoes above the door to trap bad luck, again using iron’s raw ground binding energy to focus charms and seal a dynamic protection.
Keys were suspended over doors with the belief they would lock out bad luck.
In spell craft keys served as symbolic tools to unlock hidden knowledge, opening paths to spirit realms and binding a curse into secrecy.
Dried plants were vital in folk magic using Elder, Rowan and St John’s Wort hung in hearths to ward off sprits.
One panel shows a wooden ladder illustrating a superstition that you will have bad luck if you walk under a ladder.
In 1952 historian Pennet Thorne Hughes published Witchcraft, explaining how ancient folk customs emerged.
His research revealed that magic in Britain wasn’t just for fairy tales, it actively shaped how our ancestors protected and navigated their daily lives.
Aptly opened in the days prior to Halloween this exhibition is full of tales from around the county brought together in a graphic display at the museum.
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