Hundreds of protective marks, also known as Witches’ Marks, have been discovered at Creswell Crags, a limestone gorge on the Derbyshire border with history dating back 60,000 years.

These Apotropaic marks, from the Greek apotrepein, meaning ‘to turn away’, have been discovered scribed into walls and ceilings of the caves, over dark holes and large crevices. This is another huge find for the world renowned, award-winning heritage site and is significant on a national scale for being, potentially, the biggest collection of apotropaic marks in one place in the whole of the UK.

The chance discovery was made by two keen-eyed enthusiasts, Hayley Clark and Ed Waters from the Subterranea Britannica group, during a cave tour at Creswell Crags, after they noticed the rare protection marks scribed onto the cave surface. John Charlesworth, Heritage Facilitator and the tour leader at the time of the discovery, says: “These witches’ marks were in plain sight all the time! Being present at the moment their true significance was revealed will stay with me forever. After 17-years at Creswell Crags it makes me wonder what else it has to surprise us. This remarkable place continues to give up its secrets.” These marks have always been noticed, but dismissed as graffiti from before the caves were barred.

Ritualistic protection marks are most commonly found in historic churches and houses, near the entrance points, particularly doorways, windows and fireplaces to protect the inhabitants from evil spirits. It was thought that the largest quantity of witches’ marks in British caves existed in Somerset, at 57 marks, but the number at Creswell Crags far exceeds that, numbering in the high hundreds in one cave alone. Marks have since been found in all caves at Creswell Crags.

Alison Fearn, of Leicester University, who studied her PHD on Protective marks, and has seen the marks at Creswell Crags, said: “I cannot emphasise how important this corpus of apotropaia is to graffiti research, I think off the top of my head, it is the largest number of examples found anywhere and in any context in the UK.”

The number and variety of witch mark designs is unprecedented. Among the most common found are the double VV engravings which are believed to make reference to Mary, Virgin of Virgins and similarly PM is Pace Maria. Others are believed to be devices for capturing or trapping ‘evil’ and these include diagonal lines, boxes and mazes. The marks appear to have been added to over time and may indicate a need to strengthen the protection in response to a period of unexpected sickness, death or poor crops. The caves were excavated by archaeologists during the 19^th century and in the process, widened. This may account for why some surfaces feature no marks and might suggest that there were originally an even greater number.

Academic and TV presenter, Professor Ronald Hutton, an authority on folklore, said: “This discovery is significant because it looks like the largest assemblage of protective marks ever found in British caves, and possibly anywhere in Britain. This is a suddenly a large new area of research for historians and archaeologists, and so adds appreciatively to the importance of the Crags as a world resource. This is a hugely important and exciting find, in one of the main current growth areas of knowledge about the past. Creswell Crags has already amazed the twenty-first century with its revelations of Palaeolithic designs. Now it does so again with a fresh one of medieval and early modern ritual protection marks on a huge scale, making a very important contribution, at a stroke, to one of the most significant current areas of new scholarly research.”

Creswell Crags are now working with academics and experts from Historic England to better understand the full significance and extent of the discovery. Creswell Crags are protected as a scheduled monument and Historic England advises on its future management.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said of the discovery: “Creswell Crags is already of international importance for its Ice Age art and ancient remains. To find this huge number of protection marks from the more recent past adds a whole new layer of discovery. Even two hundred years ago, the English countryside was a very different place, death and disease were everyday companions and evil forces could readily be imagined in the dark. We can only speculate on what it was the people of Creswell feared might emerge from the underworld into these caves.”

Creswell Crags will be launching tours of the areas containing Witches Marks for the first time, from late February.

Paul Baker, Director of Creswell Crags said: “We’re all still coming to terms with the importance of the find. It’s strange to imagine that 11,000 years after our Ice Age ancestors made their art on our walls, that fear of the unknown may have prompted superstitious locals to return to the rock and make their mark.”

To find out more visit www.creswell-crags.org.uk

Witches’ Marks Q&A – by Historic England

What are apotropaic marks?

Apotropaic comes from the Greek word for averting evil and the marks were usually carved on stone or woodwork near a building’s entrance points, particularly doorways, windows and fireplaces, to protect inhabitants and visitors from witches and evil spirits.

What do they look like?

The most common type of apotropaic mark is the daisy wheel, or hexafoil, which at its simplest is a six petal “flower” drawn with a pair of compasses. Daisy wheels comprise a single, endless line which supposedly confused and entrapped evil spirits.

Pentangles, which are five-pointed stars, were often used as ritual symbols and the letters AM for Ave Maria, PM for Pace Maria, simply M for Mary or VV for Virgin of Virgins are also a common type of apotropaic mark. These letters, scribed into the fabric of medieval walls, engraved onto wooden beams and etched onto plasterwork were thought to beseech the supreme protective power of the Virgin Mary.

Where are they?

As well as being found in caves, apotropaic marks can be found in medieval houses, dating from around 1550 to 1750. A few have been recorded recently at Shakespeare’s Birthplace for example, where they are carved near the door to the cellar, once the store for precious beer and they have been spotted in medieval barns like the Bradford-on-Avon Tithe Barn, where they were etched into the ancient timber to protect crops.

Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium will host the first walking football European Nations Cup this summer.

The Walking Football Association has structured a tournament featuring 160 players, representing eight different nations, involving Over 50s and Over 60s teams.

WFA chief executive Paul Carr explained why Chesterfield was chosen to host the tournament. He said: “Chesterfield is the home of walking football as John Croot, who is a WFA non-executive director, works here, lives here and created the game here so it’s the perfect place to host the first international tournament for walking football.”

Chesterfield player Laurence Maguire, who is an England C international and brother of England star Harry Maguire, was at the launch of the event. He said: “It’s fantastic for the walking football community to come together in Chesterfield at the Proact and they’re very welcome to hold the European Nations Cup here.”

“You see players now retiring from football at early ages so for people to come out and keep their fitness levels up in their older age is fantastic for the sport.”

“As the sport gets bigger and bigger, I’m sure there will be many more ex-professionals taking part in walking football when they finish.”

The tournament, which will include teams representing England, Wales, Italy, Holland, Spain and France, will be played on the weekend of June 8th and 9th, with a gala dinner also taking place at the stadium.

Walking football is credited with helping to stimulate mental and physical wellbeing for the older generation. The slower pace and less contact is perfect for people looking to keep active by playing the sport they love.

Chesterfield Studios is celebrating ten years of musical theatre with a production of Leonard Bernstein’s iconic musical, West Side Story. The tragic re-telling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, set in New York’s West Side, tells the story of Tony and Maria, two lovers caught in a battle between rival gangs, the Sharks and the Jets.

Established in 2009, Chesterfield Studios leads the way in innovative performing arts training for young people. With over 250 people participating in their theatre school classes, they offer a broad range of classes, spread across all age ranges. All staff have trained at some of the country’s leading universities and colleges and many are working professionals, passionate about working with and engaging young people in the performing arts.

The biggest event of the year for Chesterfield Studios will be West Side Story, which will show at the Pomegranate on almost the very same date, that ten years ago, the company first opened their doors.

Bernstein’s driving score set to lyrics by Stephen Sondheim is as fresh today as it was when it first opened in London’s West End sixty years ago, and features the well known songs, America, I Feel Pretty and Tonight. Fourteen year old Lucy Johnson plays Maria, with Tony being played by seventeen year old Owen Jenkinson. The cast also features professional actor Rob Laughlin as Glad Hand, who first played the part when he was seventeen years old. It is directed by Becky Parker with choreography by Roseanna Sanderson and conducted by Jonathan Francis.

Born to Perform follows in June, showcasing the fantastic array of talent in the young people’s classes. The final major event of the year, will be a celebratory concert in July, combining our Seniors, Rose Choir, past students, special guests and our concert orchestra to perform music from all of the shows we’ve performed over the last ten years.

Showing from Tuesday 19th to Thursday 21st February at the Pomegranate Theatre, find out more and how to book your tickets here.