VV Symbols

History

VV symbols or the inverted M-like form are often called witches' marks (not to be confused with “witch marks,” the physical marks on skin that witch finders used to prove that a person was in league with the Devil). The latter term is a colloquial, generic name for all ritual protection marks. Marian symbols is another description used for conjoined 'W', 'VV', 'M', 'Λ ' or 'Λ Λ '; sometimes carved horizontally (figure 8). Creswell Crags claims to have the largest number, but as yet have not published any dating evidence. An etching dated to circa 1600 has one such mark (figure 12).

Originally, these symbols referred to the cult of the Virgin Mary sanctioned by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. The marks (figures 2 & 3) represent 'Virgo Virginum' (Virgin of Virgins). The inverted form refers to 'Ave Maria' or 'Maria', again the Virgin Mary (figure 4) (Champion 2015). Diaper brickwork patterns forming an M and a VV are seen on the Great Tower at Tattershall (1434 to 1456, figure 13). At Belton, VVs outnumber their inverse (figure 5).

Some of the tokens on the Stables associate with 18th century years (figure 6). One mark on the Mansion predates 1775. Those seen on Calke Abbey Stables must post-date 1712 (figures 9, 10 & 11)

At the Tower of London witches' marks date from 1540 until the 18th century. Dendrochronology dated those at Knole to 1606. The sarcophagus of Bishop John Harewell in Wells Cathedral, Somerset, who died in 1386, has numerous witches' marks. If coeval with inscribed years, they date from 1600 with half the years dating after the 1680's. Those at Wookey Hole, Somerset dated from 1550 to 1750. Their religious connection is attested by numerous such inscriptions on a 15th century stone altar in All Saints Church, Westborough, Linconshire; surely not carved without permission from the parish priest? What motivated people to inscribe these tokens?

From 1547, Edward VI acting via Archbishop Cranmer began a regime of systematic iconoclasm to prevent people’s physical engagement with ‘superstitious’ images in churches. The clergy were,

to take away, utterly extinct and destroy shrines, all tables, candlesticks, trindles or rolls of wax, picture, paintings and all other monuments of feigned miracles, pilgrimages, idolatry and superstition so there remain no memory of the same in walls, glass windows or elsewhere within their churches or houses (Royal Injunction 1547, Article 28).

This reform continued under Elizabeth I. The outcome was an eradication of medieval art and religious and cultural tradition. Conceivably, the VV symbols permitted people to maintain a physical interaction with the fabric of the church as in previous centuries.

From 1450 to 1750, witchcraft trials spread over Europe. Of 100,000 persons tried, half were executed, including 4,000 burnt at the stake in Scotland. Did these witches' marks gain credence under the institutionalised witch-hunting of King James I of England? This form of graffiti seems to have ceased by the mid-nineteenth century. The Stables' single storey north range of 1840, has no apotropaic marks*.

Champion (2017) believes that by the 18th century the VV symbols had lost their religious connotations, but on our secular Stables still served to ward off witches, evil spirits and demons, and to bring good luck. Numerically, they cluster around doors and windows (figure 1). The four most visible talismans at the Stables are on the niche imposts either side of the east entrance. They measure ~22cm across by ~10cm high. They may well be the largest stone carved talismans recorded in this country. Identical symbols are also found around fireplaces and on cast-iron firebacks, another route of entry by evil spirits (Easton & Hodgkinson 2013).

*apotropaic from Greek apotropaios 'averting evil'

Statistics

Clearly, these symbols may be confused with the letters 'W' and 'M'. For example, as in figure 4. First names after 1660 have those beginning with 'W' as the 4th most common after those beginning with 'J', 'T' & 'R'. 'M' was 13th most common.

To reduce bias, we constructed a clustered column chart for all 459 inscribed letters & isolated 'W', 'VV', 'M', 'ʌ' or 'ʌʌ' (figure 7). This shows a high frequency of these apotropaic VV & M shapes well exceeding the commonest three first name initials in the population, 'J', 'T' & 'R'. The most frequent unambiguous letter was 'T'. Bias from repetitive inscribing of the same initials is unmeasurable.