Archaeology & History

'Witches' marks' on building walls in England may have finally been solved

By T.K. Randall
July 10, 2026

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) It's an enigma that has endured for years - strange symbols, often referred to as daisy wheels or hexafoils, that many had come to associate with witchcraft or ritualistic practices.

Often also dubbed 'witches' marks', they have been found on wooden beams and stonework inside medieval churches and houses for centuries.

Their exact meaning has long remained a topic of debate, with some believing them to be symbols of protection and others suggesting that their true significance may have been lost to time.

Now, though, Professor Jennifer Alexander of Warwick University has put forward the argument that these symbols may have a lot less significance than previously thought.Rather than being ritualistic, she argues, they may simply be scribbles left by the original builders.

"Do you remember at school when you were first given a pair of compasses and you made a daisy wheel? It's that," she told The Guardian.

"There are hundreds of such marks and they tend to be [of] varying degrees of skill."

"It's much more the sort of thing you'd use to train apprentices with, giving them skills in using tools on intractable surfaces like stone."

A video exploring the phenomenon in more detail can be viewed below.


Source: Mail Online

Tags: Witch