United Utilities unearthed what could prove to be an infamous site in England’s spine-chilling history of witches and warlocks.
During a routine construction project in Pendle, Lancashire, located in northwest England, engineers were stunned to discover an eerie 17th century witch’s-style cottage, with a mummified cat sealed into the walls. It’s believed the cat was buried alive to protect the cottage’s inhabitants from evil spirits.
The spellbinding find occurred near Lower Black Moss Reservoir in the village of Barley, which nestles in the shadow of Pendle Hill, the U.K.’s premier witching hot-spot.
Speculation is rife among local historians that the building could be the lost Malkin Tower—the site of a notorious meeting of the Pendle witches on Good Friday 1612.
Archaeologists brought in to survey the area found a remarkably well preserved building from the 1600s, hidden beneath a grass mound.
Carl Sanders, MWH project manager for the United Utilities project said, “It’s not often you come across a fairy-tale cottage complete with witch’s cat. The building is in remarkable condition. You can walk through it and get a real sense that you’re peering into the past.
Our initial project plan certainly didn’t include unearthing a 17th century ruin with links to the Pendle witches, but when we first spotted the grassy mound we contacted the county archaeologist to engage his support, knowledge and expertise. We were all very keen to ensure we did the right thing in respect of national heritage. We are now working closely with the local community and the county archaeologist to agree what we should do with the ruin,” Sanders continued.
The project has been put on hold while the archaeologists complete an investigation of the site.
“In terms of significance, it’s like discovering Tutankhamun’s tomb,” explained Simon Entwistle, a nationally-recognized expert on the Pendle witches (pictured with Sanders above). “We are just a few months away from the 400th anniversary of the Pendle witch trials, and here we have an incredibly rare find in the heart of witching country. This could well be the famous Malkin Tower—which has been a source of speculation and rumour for centuries.
“Cats feature prominently in folklore about witches. Whoever consigned this cat to such a horrible fate was clearly seeking protection from evil spirits. It’s an absolutely spellbinding discovery.”
