Concealed sock charm

Discovered during alterations to the cottage in 1994, this sock stuffed with thistle and burr heads, was found in the gable end where the chimney once was.  The sock is blackened with soot and it is believed to have been concealed in or near the chimney as a charm of some sort.   The sock belongs to a tradition of concealing objects in buildings.  Shoes are the most common object and these are often found hidden under floor boards and in wall voids.  Shoes are associated with good luck and a hidden shoe may have acted as a spirit trap to catch malevolent entities threatening households.  A thistle-stuffed sock made an effective trap and would have deterred most evil spirits.