Historic cauldron find lifts lid on city’s spirited past

The cauldron was originally discovered in a cellar in Chapeltown in 2012 after workers came to investigate a peculiar dripping sound which the resident could not locate.

Removing a wall, they discovered what appeared to be a petrified object which was later identified as a metal cauldron, sealed behind the wall in what is believed to have been part of an ancient practice designed to protect the house and its residents from malign or supernatural forces.

At the time, the resident had also reported hearing strange noises at the house, with doors being said to fly open and shut on their own.

Known as apotropaic deposits, objects like the cauldron have been discovered in foundations, roof spaces and walls in buildings around the UK, but are especially prevalent in hearths and chimneys.

Cauldrons in particular were seen as the heart of the household, providing nourishment and healing, and sustaining life, but other objects commonly used include so called witches bottles, filled with a mix of hair, nails, and urine, as well as shoes and even cats. People also drew protective symbols on beams and rafters.

Kitty Ross, Leeds Museums and Galleries’ curator of social history, said: “The practice of concealing objects within the fabric of buildings goes back thousands of years, to well before medieval times, and was believed to protect the house and its inhabitants from ‘evil forces’, curses and disease.

“Rituals to ward off negative influences are among the oldest in human history, and even the tradition of carving scary faces into pumpkins or turnips at Halloween was originally carried out in a bid to keep supernatural forces at bay.

“It’s fascinating to see how these traditions have been built into the fabric of our city and the different ways they have evolved over the centuries to become part of modern culture.”

The cauldron is part of the collection at the Leeds Discovery Centre, a state-of-the-art facility which is home to more than a million objects.

The museum has recently been exploring fears and phobias over half term, with other spooky objects on display including Victorian clown dolls, a dentist-themed board game and an ageing ventriloquists dummy.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “It’s always fascinating to learn more about the customs, heritage and traditions of the different people who made the city their home and who laid the foundations of modern-day Leeds.

“Discoveries like these teach us so much about Leeds’s history and help us to understand how it shapes the city we know today.”

The Leeds Discovery Centre is open to the public for pre-booked tours and is a Give What You Can museum, where visitors are invited to donate to support the museum if they are able.

Donations can be made when booking a tour online, and with cash and coins in a donation box in reception. 

For more details please visit: Visit Leeds Discovery Centre | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

Leeds Museums and Galleries is also hosting a programme of spooky Halloween events, including a scarecrow trail at Leeds Industrial Museum, a look at the ghost stories of Temple Newsam House and pumpkin patch trailer tours at Lotherton.

For more details, please visit: Agenda | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

ENDS