NHER 33778 (Building record) - Copes Hill Farmhouse

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Summary

An 18th century brick farmhouse with some 19th century remodelling. A complete Bellarmine containing animal bones was found underneath the dining room floor. It is very rare to find ritual deposits in a house of this date, although such practices may have continued well into the 18th century in the Fens.

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Location

Map sheet TL59SW
Civil Parish WELNEY, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Suggested by owner as 17th century but not listed.
Under floor of dining room; complete Bellarmine, containing small bones and dust. Now displayed in house.
Seen by D. Gurney (NLA) 12 August 1998.
E. Rose (NLA) 27 August 1998.

Visited by E. Rose (NLA), 19 November 1998.
The house is in fact 18th century, with 19th century remodelling, which makes the witch bottle all the more important. There is also a lump of conglomerate in one wall. Do these derive from an older house or are they an important late survival of apotropaic practice?
See (S1) in file.
See also (S2).
E. Rose (NLA), 20 November 1998.

  • --- Drawing: Gurney, D. 1998?. Photocopy of rubbings of a bellarmine jar.. Rubbing.
  • --- Secondary File: Secondary File.
  • <S1> Unpublished Document: Rose, E.. 1998. Building Report.. Building Report.
  • <S2> Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 1999. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1998. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIII Pt II pp 369-387. p 385.
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • CEREMONIAL OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • CEREMONIAL OBJECT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WITCH BOTTLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Record last edited

May 24 2019 3:28PM

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