Hag, holey, witch, fairy, dobbie or adder stones are protective charms used in folk magic. Hung in windows or doorways, in barns and on boats, they were believed to protect against the evil eye, witches, evil spirits, and negative energy, whose magic would be rendered useless when the hole was peered through. It was believed they could wars off curses, sickness and theft. In my part of the world ‘witch stones’ were hung in dairies. Witches could stop cows from producing milk, or prevent cream from turning into butter.
It was believed that other worlds and invisible spirits could be seen through the hole, and they were hung in bedrooms to prevent nightmares. Worn around the neck they protect the wearer from harm.
The holes are formed from the boring of a mollusk called a “piddock”, by water, or by smaller stones grinding against the surface.
I found this stone in the cemetery, so I’m really chuffed with it! Do you have any witch stones? If so, where did you find them?
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