In the English medieval Church found "traps" for witches and evil spirits

A team of scientists excavated the grounds of a 700-year-old Church in the village of Stoke Mandeville, where they found witchcraft marks on stone beams. Scientists noted that such elements, according to the beliefs of the ancestors, drove away evil spirits.

According to archaeologist Michael Court, who works for HS2 Ltd, the find allows you to plunge into the part of the past that is not described in historical documents. Scientists reported finding marks in the form of wheel spokes with round holes in the middle.

St Mary's Church was built around 1070 as a private chapel for the Lord of Stoke Mandeville. It is located in the modern English city of Buckinghamshire. In the 1340s, the construction was expanded, and in the 1860s-demolished, when a new Church was built near the city.

During the archaeological work on the site, scientists noted that, despite the time, many parts of the ancient Church were preserved very well. The walls are still standing up to a meter and a half high, and the floor remains as well.

Witchcraft marks were found on several stones at different points. The patterns could not possibly be a sundial, which is often seen by archaeologists in the area of the southern doors of medieval buildings.

Similar signs are found at various sites throughout the UK. Many were found in limestone caves. As a rule, mysterious patterns are engraved on stones near doors, Windows and fireplaces. They served to scare away evil spirits and witches, luring them into an endless chain or maze.

Unlike today, earlier people believed in the existence of witches and even actively tried to fight them.