The Aspinall Arms

Mystery Shoes

During recent re-wiring in the pub, workmen discovered a pair of very old children’s shoes neatly placed together under the upstairs floor-boards. Concealed shoes are usually found alone but to find a pair together is very unusual.

It is commonly believed that this folk practice, which dates back hundreds of years in England was a way of bringing good luck and fertility to the occupants of the building…

The association between shoes and fertility is a very ancient one:

“There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, she had so many children; She didn't know what to do.

An alternative and slightly more spooky explanation is that shoes were often concealed in buildings to ward of evil spirits, and more particularly witches…who found their way in and concealed themselves in secret places!

Co-incidentally The Aspinall Arms is located in the shadow of Pendle Hill, the home of the infamous “Pendle Witches.” On August 20, 1612, ten people from The Hill were hanged at Lancaster Castle, for the murder by witchcraft of seventeen people in the Pendle area of Lancashire.

We’ll let you decide which interpretation you prefer but for those of you who are slightly superstitious the shoes will not be leaving the pub…just in case.

More information on “hidden shoes” here

Lancashire Evening Telegraph article - here