witchbottle

Bottle originally used for cod liver oil, now containing urine, used as a witchbottle. The bottle is tightly corked with pins stuck in it. Found in the back kitchen chimney of a house and shop in Padstow, Cornwall, tenanted by Mr Biddick, in 1934.

once the urine is in the bottle the witch is unable to pass water, and eventually dies. The victim then recovers.

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk