A little cottage believed to be linked to the Witches of Pendle and a mummified cat have been unearthed by workmen in Lancashire.
A little cottage believed to be linked to the Witches of Pendle and a mummified cat have been unearthed by workmen in Lancashire.
Expert archaeologists on the site have been fascinated to find the remains. One expert described the find as 'spellbinding - it's like discovering your own little Pompeii'.
Water engineers found the 17th-century cottage during excavations near the Lower Black Moss reservoir in Pendle and now experts think it could be connected to the famous Pendle Witches, especially as a mummified cat was found sealed into one of the walls.
The experts presume that the cat may have been walled up in the cottage whilst still alive and left to perish, possible as a form of 19th century protection against the paranormal.
Simon Entwistle, an expert on the Pendle Witches, said: 'Cats feature prominently in folklore about witches. Whoever consigned this cat to such a horrible fate was clearly seeking protection from evil spirits. We're just a few months away from the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch trials, and here we have an incredibly rare find, which could well be the famous Malkin Tower.'
Carl Sanders, United Utilities' project manager, said: 'It's not often you come across a fairytale 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. Pendle Hill has a real aura about it, and it's hard not to be affected by the place.'
Photo © BBC News
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