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- Story Listed as: True Life For Adults
- Theme: Inspirational
- Subject: Time: PAST/Present/FUTURE
- Published: 09/20/2023
A Concealed Shoe
Born 1960, F, from San Antonio Texas, United StatesConcealed shoes hidden in a building have been discovered in many European countries, as well as in other parts of the world. The locations in which these shoes are typically found are in chimneys, under floors, around doors and windows, and in the roof. This suggests that some may have been concealed as magical charms to protect the occupants of the building against evil influences such as demons, and witches. Others may have been intended to bestow luck to a member of the household, or been an offering to a household Deity.
Concealed shoes have been found in many types of buildings, including Country houses, a Benedictine Monastery and a Baptist Church. The earliest yet reported was discovered behind the choir stalls in The Winchester Cathedral which were installed in 1308. Other places include Work Houses, Factories, and two Oxford colleges, St John’s and Queen’s. Shoes have been found in European buildings since the 16th century. From dainty cottages in Georgian homes in Norwich, to the remotest Shetland Islands and Isles of Scilly this trend has spread across the British Isles and across history.
Northampton Museum maintains a Concealed Shoe Index, which as of 2013Â contained 1800 reports of discoveries, mostly from Britain and almost half from the 18th century. The overwhelming majority have been worn, and many have been repaired. Most finds are of single shoes. The custom appears to have died out some time during the 20th century.
Since at least the early modern period it was a common custom to hide objects such as written charms or Horse Skulls and Witch Bottles in the structure of a building, but concealed shoes are the most common items. Thank goodness, I would feel disgusted and creeped out if I found a Horse Skull.
Locations in which these shoes have been found suggest that at least some were concealed as magical charms to protect the occupants of the building. Such hidden caches of objects are known by archaeologists as spiritual middens. A Spiritual Midden is a hidden cache of objects within the walls of a building having magical purposes.
Concealed shoes have been discovered in European countries, as well as in North America. Although deposits have been found throughout the United States they are mostly found in New England and the northeastern United States.
Most of the concealed shoes found to date are made of leather, but wooden clogs  have also been reported, among others. All ages are represented in the shoe sizes, from babies to adults, but there is little difference in the ratio of adult male to female shoes. Most finds are of single shoes, but some pairs have also been discovered.Â
Concealed shoes give an important insight into what ordinary people have historically worn on their feet. Several theories have been advanced to account for hidden shoes, one of which is that they served as some kind of fertility charm. There is a long-standing connection between shoes and fertility, perhaps exemplified by the nursery rhyme, There was an Old Woman who lived in a Shoe, or attaching shoes to a married couple's car. In America it is more common to tie cans to the couples car. But this is believed to be for the same purpose.
In England women who wished to conceive might try on the shoes of a Woman who has just given birth, a custom known as Smickling, the practice of a childless Woman trying on the shoes of a Woman who had just given birth in order to enhance their own fertility.
I have never found one of these hidden shoes. Maybe it’s a tradition we should consider re-erecting. Or maybe not. A lucky charm of sorts, to protect, appease, or to help fertility.
A Concealed Shoe(Shirley Smothers)
Concealed shoes hidden in a building have been discovered in many European countries, as well as in other parts of the world. The locations in which these shoes are typically found are in chimneys, under floors, around doors and windows, and in the roof. This suggests that some may have been concealed as magical charms to protect the occupants of the building against evil influences such as demons, and witches. Others may have been intended to bestow luck to a member of the household, or been an offering to a household Deity.
Concealed shoes have been found in many types of buildings, including Country houses, a Benedictine Monastery and a Baptist Church. The earliest yet reported was discovered behind the choir stalls in The Winchester Cathedral which were installed in 1308. Other places include Work Houses, Factories, and two Oxford colleges, St John’s and Queen’s. Shoes have been found in European buildings since the 16th century. From dainty cottages in Georgian homes in Norwich, to the remotest Shetland Islands and Isles of Scilly this trend has spread across the British Isles and across history.
Northampton Museum maintains a Concealed Shoe Index, which as of 2013Â contained 1800 reports of discoveries, mostly from Britain and almost half from the 18th century. The overwhelming majority have been worn, and many have been repaired. Most finds are of single shoes. The custom appears to have died out some time during the 20th century.
Since at least the early modern period it was a common custom to hide objects such as written charms or Horse Skulls and Witch Bottles in the structure of a building, but concealed shoes are the most common items. Thank goodness, I would feel disgusted and creeped out if I found a Horse Skull.
Locations in which these shoes have been found suggest that at least some were concealed as magical charms to protect the occupants of the building. Such hidden caches of objects are known by archaeologists as spiritual middens. A Spiritual Midden is a hidden cache of objects within the walls of a building having magical purposes.
Concealed shoes have been discovered in European countries, as well as in North America. Although deposits have been found throughout the United States they are mostly found in New England and the northeastern United States.
Most of the concealed shoes found to date are made of leather, but wooden clogs  have also been reported, among others. All ages are represented in the shoe sizes, from babies to adults, but there is little difference in the ratio of adult male to female shoes. Most finds are of single shoes, but some pairs have also been discovered.Â
Concealed shoes give an important insight into what ordinary people have historically worn on their feet. Several theories have been advanced to account for hidden shoes, one of which is that they served as some kind of fertility charm. There is a long-standing connection between shoes and fertility, perhaps exemplified by the nursery rhyme, There was an Old Woman who lived in a Shoe, or attaching shoes to a married couple's car. In America it is more common to tie cans to the couples car. But this is believed to be for the same purpose.
In England women who wished to conceive might try on the shoes of a Woman who has just given birth, a custom known as Smickling, the practice of a childless Woman trying on the shoes of a Woman who had just given birth in order to enhance their own fertility.
I have never found one of these hidden shoes. Maybe it’s a tradition we should consider re-erecting. Or maybe not. A lucky charm of sorts, to protect, appease, or to help fertility.
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Valerie Allen
12/14/2023Well, never knew about this. Always enjoy learning something new. Traditions are interesting. Thanks ~
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Joel Kiula
12/14/2023Mind blowing story, always happy to read about something new. Great storystar of the week.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/14/2023Thank you Joel. I found a lot of interesting facts while researching this story. Thank you and bless you.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Kevin Hughes
12/13/2023Shirley,
I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. This story was laced with so much that I did not know. You would have to be a heal, to not recognize the soul of an infertile woman hoping for a child, as she steps into a shoe worn by a woman who gave birth.
Congrats on StoryStar of the week, and for educating us all. As you can see from the thread, most of us never heard of: "Smicklng" or the hidden shoes!
Smiles, Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/13/2023Thank you Kevin. I love your description of my story. Clever puns, made me laugh. I hadn't heard of smickling until doing research for my story. Thanks Kevin and blessings.
I hadn't heard of smickling until researching for my story.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/12/2023Thank you Gerald. I had fun doing the research. Blessings and thank you.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/12/2023Thank you Cheryl. I found researching this to be informative. Blessings and thank you.
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Marla
12/11/2023This is interesting! Thanks for sharing it with us. I enjoyed learning about something that I hadn't heard of before. Congrats on star of the week!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/12/2023Thank you Marla. I found this research to be interesting. Thanks and blessings.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Lillian Kazmierczak
12/11/2023Shirley, I had never heard of this before. It was very interesting! Now I want to know what they do with the other shoe! Thanks for sharing this interesting info. A well shoed short story star of the week!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/12/2023Thank you Lillian. I love your comment. "A well shoed short story," how cute. Thank you and blessings.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
JD
12/10/2023I didn't know there was a history and tradition in this regard, so your story was an interesting read. Thanks for sharing these historical factoids with us, Shirley. Happy short story star of the week.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
12/11/2023Thank you.
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CPlatt
09/21/2023Fascinating, Shirley. I've never heard of that. I'll be on the look-out from now on though.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Shirley Smothers
09/21/2023Thank you CPlatt. I found this to be interesting and hoped others would too. A short history of good luck charms.
COMMENTS (11)