Superstition in Great Britain

Superstitions in medieval Britain were intertwined with Christian and pagan beliefs, with charms and rituals used to avert evil spirits.{{Cite book |last=Bailey |first=Michael David |title=Magic and Superstition in Europe: A Concise History from Antiquity to the Present |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-7425-3387-5 |pages=80–100}} Anglo-Saxon herbal charms were common, while the 14th–17th centuries saw heightened fears of witchcraft, leading to witch-hunts during the English Reformation.{{Cite book |last=Valletta |first=Frederick |title=Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition in England, 1640–70 |publisher=Routledge |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-351-87259-1 |doi=10.4324/9781315233956}} Witch bottles, containing urine, hair, or pins, were buried to counter curses, with over 200 found in England.{{Cite book |last=McCarthy |first=Andrew D. |title=Staging the Superstitions of Early Modern Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-317-05068-1 |pages=2–10}} The English Civil War (1642–1651) intensified beliefs in omens, with both sides exploiting supernatural imagery.{{Cite web |last=Newell |first=Marion |date=2022-10-31 |title=The Last Witches of England: A Tragedy of Sorcery and Superstition – Book Review |url=https://www.counterfire.org/article/the-last-witches-of-england-a-tragedy-of-sorcery-and-superstition-book-review/ |website=Counterfire |access-date=2025-05-27}}

The 19th century marked a peak in folklore collection, as antiquarians feared rural superstitions were vanishing. Scholars like William Henderson recorded beliefs such as spilling salt or stirring food "widdershins" (anti-sunwise), thought to bring misfortune.{{Cite book |last=Henderson |first=William |title=Traditions, Superstitions, and Folk-lore |publisher=Hardwicke |year=1866 |pages=12–50 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kMTYAAAAMAAJ}} Victorian women documented domestic superstitions, like avoiding white tablecloths overnight to prevent death. Poet John Clare romanticised superstitions as "as old as England", integral to cultural memory.{{Cite book |last=Clare |first=John |title=The Shepherd's Calendar |publisher=John Taylor |year=1825 |pages=45–47}}

Urbanisation and education reduced traditional superstitions in the 20th century, but wartime omens, such as magpies predicting air raids, persisted.{{Cite book |last=Simpson |first=Jacqueline |title=Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-19-999692-6 |pages=100–120}}{{Cite web |title=Eurasian Magpie: A True Bird Brain |url=https://www.britannica.com/story/eurasian-magpie-a-true-bird-brain |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=2025-05-27}} Post-war, urban legends (e.g., vanishing hitchhikers) and digital-age superstitions (e.g., chain emails) emerged. Conspiracy theories, like 5G causing illness, highlight superstition's modern evolution. Recent surveys show continued adherence to rituals like touching wood, especially among younger Britons.

File:Keychain with four-leaf clover.jpg

Many superstitions are shared across Great Britain, rooted in Celtic, Christian, and ancient traditions. The four-leaf clover, a rare plant, is widely believed to bring good luck, with each leaf symbolising hope, faith, love, and luck. People carry or press it to attract fortune, especially in rural areas.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=90–95}}{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopaedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=120–125 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}}{{Cite book |last=Trevelyan |first=Marie |title=Welsh Traditions and Superstitions: A Historical Collection of Welsh Mythology |publisher=Read Books Ltd. |year=1959 |isbn=978-1-4474-2000-2 |pages=60–65 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ctb7DAAAQBAJ}} Ladybirds, linked to the Virgin Mary, are seen as lucky, with their landing on someone granting wishes or fortune.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=220–225}}{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopaedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=160–165 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}}{{Cite book |last=Trevelyan |first=Marie |title=Welsh Traditions and Superstitions: A Historical Collection of Welsh Mythology |publisher=Read Books Ltd. |year=1959 |isbn=978-1-4474-2000-2 |pages=70–75 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ctb7DAAAQBAJ}}

Protective rituals are common. Knocking on wood, tied to ancient tree worship, wards off bad luck after boasting or tempting fate.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=12–15}} Spilling salt, thought to invite misfortune, is countered by throwing a pinch over the left shoulder to appease spirits.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=350–355}}{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopaedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=270–275 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}} Walking under ladders is avoided, as it may disrupt a sacred triangle or bring practical danger.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=12–13}}{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopaedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=190–195 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}}{{Cite book |last=Park |first=David |title=Superstitions |publisher=History Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7524-6144-1 |pages=40–45 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yUKYCwAAQBAJ}} Opening umbrellas indoors is believed to cause bad luck, possibly offending household spirits.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=400–405}}{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopaedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=300–305 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}}{{Cite news |date=2022-12-15 |title=11 Old Wives' Tales from Welsh Grandmothers |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nostalgia/11-old-wives-tales-welsh-25252187 |work=Daily Post |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Social omens include ears burning, where a tingling sensation suggests someone is talking about you—left ear for criticism, right for praise.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1959 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=130–135}}{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopaedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=90–95 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}}{{Cite book |last=Park |first=David |title=Superstitions |publisher=History Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7524-6144-1 |pages=50–55 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yUKYCwAAQBAJ}}

File:Jubilee and Munin, Ravens, Tower of London 2016-04-30.jpg

England's superstitions, deeply rooted in folklore and history, span national symbols, regional beliefs, and modern practices. A well-known legend holds that the ravens at the Tower of London protect the Crown and nation; their departure would signal Britain's collapse, a belief so strong that King Charles II ensured their permanent presence.{{Cite book |last=Lengyel-Marosi |first=Renáta |title=Culture and History of Great Britain |publisher=J. Selye University |year=2010 |pages=50–55}} In Lincolnshire, 16th–17th-century "witches' marks"—carvings in places like Gainsborough Old Hall—were etched to ward off evil spirits, reflecting widespread fears of witchcraft.{{Cite news |last=Booth |first=William |date=2024-10-30 |title='Witches' Marks' and Curses: England's Gainsborough Old Hall |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/30/witches-marks-curses-england-gainsborough-old-hall/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=2025-05-27}} In Dorset, a slow-boiling kettle is thought to be bewitched, possibly due to a toad inside, a superstition linked to historical witch fears.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=1–15}}

Regional beliefs also shaped health and daily life. In Great Malvern during the Victorian era, collecting spring water on the half-hour was believed to render it poisonous, a superstition tied to the area's water cure treatments. Weather lore is prominent, with Saint Swithin's Day (15 July) predicting 40 days of rain if it rains, guiding rural farming practices.{{Cite web |title=Saint Swithin's Day |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Swithins-Day |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=2025-05-27}} Common luck-based superstitions include touching iron to ward off bad luck and avoiding opening umbrellas indoors, believed to invite misfortune.{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Claire |date=2015-01-02 |title=In Pictures: Ten British Good Luck Traditions |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatpicturegalleries/11317151/In-pictures-ten-British-good-luck-traditions.html |work=The Telegraph |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-08 |title=30 Fascinating Superstitions from Across Britain and Ireland |url=https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2024/10/08/30-fascinating-superstitions-from-across-britain-and-ireland/ |website=British Newspaper Archive Blog |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite web |title=Why Is It Bad Luck to Open an Umbrella Indoors? |url=https://people.howstuffworks.com/open-umbrella-indoors.htm |website=HowStuffWorks |date=2 April 2015 |access-date=2025-05-27}} Black cats, seen as either lucky or unlucky depending on the region, are a widespread symbol in English folklore.

Social and seasonal superstitions are equally prevalent. At weddings, brides follow the tradition of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" to ensure marital happiness, a custom rooted in Victorian England.{{Cite web |last=Schweitzer |first=Kristen |date=2020-03-15 |title=Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Do I Really Need It at My Wedding? |url=https://www.brides.com/story/something-borrowed-something-blue-do-i-really-need-it-at-my-wedding |website=Brides |access-date=2025-05-27}} On New Year's Eve, paying off debts before midnight is thought to prevent financial misfortune in the coming year.{{Cite web |last=Arricca |first=Ellyssa |date=2019-12-20 |title=15 New Year's Superstitions to Bring Good Luck |url=https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g29538911/new-years-superstitions/ |website=Country Living |access-date=2025-05-27}} In sports, English footballers like Kobbie Mainoo wear mismatched socks for luck, while the England national team follows rituals like specific warm-up routines to boost performance.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=George |date=2025-03-08 |title=Man Utd: Kobbie Mainoo's Superstition Revealed |url=https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news/man-utd/man-utd-kobbie-mainoo-premier-league-england-060856-20250308 |website=Sport Bible |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Emma |date=2023-07-20 |title=England Team's Bizarre Superstitions: No One Expects These |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/england-teams-bizarre-superstitions-no-33220864 |work=The Mirror |access-date=2025-05-27}} Cricketers, too, carry lucky charms, such as specific bats, to ensure success in matches.{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Andy |date=2017-12-19 |title=10 Quirky Cricket Superstitions |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/10-quirky-cricket-superstitions-20171219-h072cv.html |work=Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Scottish superstitions, shaped by ancient Gaelic and Celtic traditions, include stories of mythical creatures, seasonal customs, protective charms, and eerie omens. Selkies, seals that can become human, are said to form tragic love stories with people in coastal villages.{{Cite book |last=Mackenzie |first=Alexander |title=Scottish Folk-lore and Folk Life |publisher=Blackie & Son |year=1895 |pages=80–90}} Kelpies, evil water spirits that look like horses, are believed to trick people into drowning in lakes.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-15 |title=Magical Places in Scotland: Witch Trail |url=https://www.loveexploring.com/news/154530/magical-places-in-scotland-witch-trail |website=Love Exploring |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite book |last=Campbell |first=John Gregorson |title=Superstitions of the Highlands & Islands of Scotland |publisher=James MacLehose & Sons |year=1900 |pages=120–130 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=agYyAQAAMAAJ}} Fairies, thought to steal children and replace them with changelings, led families to use iron charms for protection.{{Cite book |last=Dalyell |first=John Graham |title=The Darker Superstitions of Scotland |publisher=Waugh and Innes |year=1834 |pages=150–170 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ERhAAAAcAAJ}}{{Cite book |last=MacGregor |first=Alexander D. |title=Western Scottish Folklore and Superstitions |publisher=Birlinn Ltd. |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84158-794-3 |pages=50–60 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8yMmtdyB-5IC}} A black cat visiting a home is seen as a sign of future wealth.{{Cite web |title=Superstitions & Premonitions: Polling for St Andrew's Day |url=https://www.bestforbritain.org/superstitions_premonitions_polling_for_st_andrew_s_day |website=Best for Britain |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Seasonal customs are popular. On New Year's Eve, "first-footing" involves a dark-haired person entering a home with salt or coal to bring good luck.{{cite book |last=Henderson |first=William |title=Notes on the Folk-Lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders |publisher=Longmans, Green |year=1866 |pages=73–74 |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924006726552/page/n97/mode/2up}}{{Cite news |date=2024-12-31 |title=10 New Year's Eve Superstitions to Bring Good Luck in 2025 |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/10-new-years-eve-superstitions-34397669 |work=Daily Record |access-date=2025-05-27}} At Halloween, apple dooking (grabbing apples from water with your mouth) was used to predict who someone might marry.{{Cite web |title=Halloween in Scotland |url=https://rove.me/to/scotland/halloween |website=Rove.me |date=22 January 2025 |access-date=2025-05-27}} On Beltane (1 May), people jump over fires in festivals to ensure good crops and luck, a Celtic tradition.{{Cite news |date=2022-04-30 |title=9 Ancient Traditions and Celtic Customs of Scottish Spring |url=https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/9-ancient-traditions-and-celtic-customs-of-scottish-spring-starting-with-beltanes-day-4033883 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=2025-05-27}} Marriages or births in a leap year are considered unlucky, thought to bring bad fortune.{{Cite news |date=2018-02-28 |title=Leap Year Traditions in Scotland |url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/leap-year-traditions-in-scotland-what-are-the-customs-and-superstitions-surrounding-29-february-1394968 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite news |date=2024-02-29 |title=Leap Year Traditions Around the World |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/leap-year-traditions-around-the-world-b2504474.html |work=The Independent |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Protective beliefs are common. In the Highlands, tying a red thread around a wrist keeps away the evil eye, a harmful stare. Planting rowan trees near homes is thought to stop witches.{{cite web |title=Edinburgh's Links to Scottish Tree & Plant Folklore |url=https://www.edinburghunwrapped.com/edinburghs-links-to-scottish-tree-plant-folklore/ |website=Edinburgh Unwrapped |date=30 September 2021 |access-date=30 May 2025}}{{Cite news |date=2020-11-15 |title=Plant Life: The Superstitions Behind Scotland's Floral Folklore |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18836053.plant-life-superstitions-behind-behind-scotlands-floral-folklore/ |work=Herald Scotland |access-date=2025-05-27}} Seeing magpies brings omens: "one for sorrow, two for joy".{{Cite web |title=Eurasian Magpie: A True Bird Brain |url=https://www.britannica.com/story/eurasian-magpie-a-true-bird-brain |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=2025-05-27}} Hearing a cuckoo's first spring call with money in your pocket promises riches. In theatres, actors avoid saying "Macbeth", calling it the "Scottish Play" to dodge bad luck.{{Cite web |title=Macbeth: About the Play – The Scottish Play |url=https://www.rsc.org.uk/macbeth/about-the-play/the-scottish-play |publisher=Royal Shakespeare Company |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite news |last=Paulson |first=Michael |date=2022-04-27 |title=Macbeth Superstitions in Theater |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/27/theater/macbeth-superstitions-theater.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2025-05-27}}

File:Witch Bottles Curse Protection.jpg

Spooky beliefs and places are notable. Second sight, a Highland gift of seeing future events, was highly respected. In Dumbarton, Overtoun Bridge is famous for dogs jumping off, blamed on ghosts.{{Cite news |date=2023-06-01 |title=The Mystery of Scotland's 'Dog Suicide Bridge' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-65745910 |work=BBC News |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite news |date=2016-10-25 |title=Dog Suicide Bridge: Why Do Pets Leap? |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/article/dog-suicide-bridge-why-do-so-many-pets-keep-leaping-into-a-scottish-gorge/rel3aowgr |work=SBS News |access-date=2025-05-27}} Clava Cairns, ancient burial stones, are said to have magical energy.{{Cite news |date=2022-02-15 |title=Tiny Scots Village Disappeared in Sandstorm |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/tiny-scots-village-disappeared-sandstorm-26158086 |work=Daily Record |access-date=2025-05-27}} People avoided walking on burial paths to not disturb spirits. In the 1590s, North Berwick witch trials sparked fear, leading to protective charms like witch bottles.{{Cite news |last=Williamson |first=Kevin D. |date=2022-01-10 |title=Witch-Hunts Old and New |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/01/witch-hunts-old-and-new/ |work=National Review |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite web |date=2021-03-07 |title=Men in Kilts: Witchcraft and Superstition Recap |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/989641/men-in-kilts-season-1-episode-4-recap-sam-heughan-graham-mctavish-outlander-witchcraft-superstition/ |website=TV Insider |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Welsh superstitions, rooted in Celtic traditions, include eerie omens, protective rituals, and seasonal beliefs. Corpse candles, ghostly lights seen at night, are believed to predict someone's death, often tied to specific families or villages.{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Edmund |title=Welsh Folk-lore |publisher=Rees & Co |year=1880 |pages=20–30}}{{Cite web |title=Welsh Myths and Folklore |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/welsh-myths-and-folklore |website=National Trust |access-date=2025-05-27}} Owl hoots near a home signal an impending death, a common rural omen.{{Cite book |last1=Radford |first1=Edwin |last2=Radford |first2=Mona A. |title=Encyclopedia of Superstitions |publisher=Philosophical Library |year=1949 |pages=502–510 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zV1gDwAAQBAJ}}{{Cite journal |date=1821 |title=Welsh Superstitions |journal=The Cambro-Briton |volume=2 |issue=22 |pages=369–372 |jstor=30069263 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30069263}} "Teulu", visions of fairy funerals, also foretell a community death. Spirit hounds, called Cŵn Annwn, are said to howl before a death, acting as otherworldly omens.{{Cite book |last=Trevelyan |first=Marie |title=Welsh Traditions and Superstitions: A Historical Collection of Welsh Mythology |publisher=Read Books Ltd. |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-4474-2000-2 |pages=45–55 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ctb7DAAAQBAJ}} Fairy rings, circles of grass, are avoided to escape fairy curses.{{Cite web |title=Welsh Myths and Legends |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/wales/w_mid/user_1_article_3.shtml |publisher=BBC |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Protective rituals are widespread. Knocking on wood, linked to ancient tree worship, wards off bad luck.{{Cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-14-051381-3 |pages=1–15}} Placing coins in trees, especially in rural areas, is thought to bring good fortune.{{Cite news |last=Price |first=Karen |date=2012-03-13 |title=Putting Coins in Trees Rooted in Superstition |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/putting-coins-trees-rooted-superstition-1815850 |work=Wales Online |access-date=2025-05-27}} "Sin-eating", eating bread over a corpse to absorb its sins, ensured the deceased's peace.{{Cite journal |last=Sikes |first=Wirt |date=1896 |title=Welsh Folk-Lore |journal=Folk-Lore |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=378–390 |jstor=533487 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/533487}} Unlike Scotland, black cats often bring bad luck.{{Cite news |date=2023-10-03 |title=Wales' Top 10 Superstitions Revealed |url=https://www.westwaleschronicle.co.uk/blog/2023/10/03/wales-top-10-superstitions-revealed/ |work=West Wales Chronicle |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite web |title=Superstitions and Black Cats |url=https://carnegiemnh.org/superstitions-and-black-cats/ |publisher=Carnegie Museum of Natural History |access-date=2025-05-27}}

Seasonal and domestic beliefs shape daily life. Avoiding washing clothes on Good Friday or New Year's Day prevents misfortune, as it might "wash away" a loved one.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-15 |title=11 Old Wives' Tales from Welsh Grandmothers |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nostalgia/11-old-wives-tales-welsh-25252187 |work=Daily Post |access-date=2025-05-27}}{{Cite web |title=Traditions & Folklore of Wales |url=https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Traditions-folklore-of-Wales/ |website=Historic UK |access-date=2025-05-27}} Placing new shoes on a table invites bad luck, tied to miners' fears of death.{{Cite book |last=Park |first=David |title=Superstitions |publisher=History Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7524-6144-1 |pages=23–30 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yUKYCwAAQBAJ}} Cutting a baby's hair before its first birthday is avoided, believed to bring illness. Covering mirrors at night stops spirits from causing harm.

A number of beliefs and practices associated with Christianity in Great Britain have been described by scholars as superstitions, particularly when they fall outside formal doctrine or involve folk interpretations of religious symbols and rituals. These customs often merge Christian theology with older pre-Christian traditions and have persisted in various forms from the medieval period to the present.Duffy, Eamon. The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England 1400–1580. Yale University Press, 2005. ISBN 9780300108286.Spencer, Carole (2014). "Popular Piety and Superstition in Late Medieval England". Church History Review. 89 (2): 201–220.

Examples include the belief in the healing powers of holy wells associated with saints, the protective use of crosses above doorways, and the veneration of relics or sacred sites thought to bring good fortune or avert harm. Pilgrimages to locations such as the shrine of St Cuthbert in Durham or St Winefride's Well in Wales historically combined formal devotion with elements of magical thinking and folk belief.Duffy, Eamon. The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England 1400–1580. Yale University Press, 2005.Bowen, E.G. Saints, Seaways and Settlements in the Celtic Lands. University of Wales Press, 1969. pp. 98–100.

The ringing of church bells was also believed to drive away evil spirits or prevent storms, a view supported in part by the Church but often expanded in popular belief.Hutton, Ronald. The Rise and Fall of Merry England: The Ritual Year 1400–1700. Oxford University Press, 1994. p. 60. ISBN 9780198203637. The practice of making the sign of the cross when passing a churchyard or during moments of fear similarly evolved into a protective act beyond its original liturgical function.Davies, Owen. Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History. Hambledon Continuum, 2003. pp. 113–114. ISBN 9781852853985.

Many such customs endured after the English Reformation, sometimes reinterpreted within new theological frameworks. The use of a horseshoe over the doorway for protection, often attributed to the legend of Saint Dunstan nailing one to the Devil's hoof, reflects this continuity.Westwood, Jennifer and Simpson, Jacqueline. The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England's Legends. Penguin Books, 2005. p. 464. ISBN 9780141007112. In more recent times, burying a statue of St Joseph upside down to sell a house has become a widely practised folk custom, especially among Catholic communities, despite lacking doctrinal basis.Belzen, Jacob A., and Hood, Ralph W. Against the Stream: Religion and Mental Health. Peter Lang, 2006. p. 305. ISBN 9780820481563.

Marriage customs also reflected a mixture of superstition and religious tradition, such as the belief that marrying on certain saint days or during Lent could bring misfortune. Folk practices like placing Bibles or coins beneath pillows to dream of one's future spouse were often tied to feast days or seasonal observances.Hutton, Ronald. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Oxford University Press, 2001. pp. 153–155. ISBN 9780192854484.

These beliefs reflect the porous boundary between religious ritual and folk custom in British history, where officially sanctioned practices often coexist with popular superstitious interpretations.

While the concept of the Devil originates in Christian theology, many superstitions involving demonic figures in Great Britain evolved independently of formal doctrine, drawing on pre-Christian mythologies, local legends, and folk magic. These beliefs, though inspired by religious narratives, often reflect popular efforts to explain misfortune, danger, or moral boundaries through supernatural storytelling.Davies, Owen. Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History. Hambledon Continuum, 2003. pp. 71–75. ISBN 9781852853985.Hutton, Ronald. The Rise and Fall of Merry England: The Ritual Year 1400–1700. Oxford University Press, 1994. pp. 59–62. ISBN 9780198203637.

File:The "Devil's footprints" - Devon 1855.jpg

A notable example is the belief in the Devil's physical presence at specific sites, often associated with unusual geological formations or rural landmarks. Features such as the Devil's Dyke in Sussex,{{cite news |last=Hammond |first=Elaine |title=Devil's Dyke, legend and fact, explored at Southwick Society's next Heritage Talk |url=https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/devils-dyke-legend-and-fact-explored-at-southwick-societys-next-heritage-talk-4463793 |work=Sussex Express |date=2 January 2024 |access-date=29 May 2025}} the Devil's Arrows in North Yorkshire,{{cite news |title=Mysterious magical stones taller than Stonehenge |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/tourism/mysterious-magical-stones-taller-stonehenge-30055914 |work=Examiner Live |date=14 September 2019 |access-date=29 May 2025}} and the Devil's Chair in Shropshire are named for folklore involving his attempts to reshape the landscape or trick local inhabitants.Westwood, Jennifer and Simpson, Jacqueline. The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England's Legends. Penguin Books, 2005. pp. 254–256. ISBN 9780141007112.{{cite web |title=Legend of the Devil's Chair |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2005/03/23/devils_chair_legend_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC Shropshire |date=23 March 2005 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

In church architecture, a "Devil's door" was often constructed on the north side of medieval English churches. Popular belief held that this door allowed the Devil to flee during baptisms, thereby protecting the child from possession.Hogg, Garry. English Country Traditions. David & Charles, 1975. pp. 88–89. ISBN 9780715366783. Though not rooted in official ecclesiastical teaching, the practice reflects a widespread fear of demonic influence in liminal spaces and life events. Similarly, the orientation of churches could influence local superstition; for example, Cold Christmas Church in Hertfordshire, which is aligned unusually along a north–south axis rather than the traditional east–west, has become the subject of persistent superstition linking its structure to hauntings and demonic associations.{{cite web |title=Cold Christmas: The Haunted Hamlet Just An Hour From London |url=https://secretldn.com/cold-christmas-hertfordshire/ |website=Secret London |date=12 December 2023 |access-date=29 May 2025}}{{cite web |title=Cold Christmas Church - Essex Ghost Hunters |url=https://www.essexghosthunters.co.uk/haunted-places/hertfordshire/cold-christmas-church |website=Essex Ghost Hunters |access-date=29 May 2025}}

One of the most widely discussed events linked to demonic folklore is the so-called "Devil's Footprints" incident of 1855 in Devon. Following a heavy snowfall, mysterious hoof-like prints appeared stretching over 40 miles across countryside, rooftops, and rivers. While never conclusively explained, many locals attributed the phenomenon to a demonic visitation, and it has remained a staple of Victorian supernatural lore.{{cite news |title=Mystery of the Devil's Footprints that appeared in snow across Devon |url=https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/mystery-devils-footprints-appeared-snow-9226826 |work=DevonLive |date=8 February 2024 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Rickard, John. The Devil's Footprints. House of Stratus, 2003. ISBN 9780755108659.Groom, Nick. The Vampire: A New History. Yale University Press, 2018. p. 145. ISBN 9780300232233.{{cite web |last=Docevski |first=Boban |title=The 1855 "Devil's Footprints" mystery in Devon, England |url=https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/10/12/the-1855-devils-footprints-mystery-in-devon-england/ |website=The Vintage News |date=12 October 2016 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Other superstitions portray the Devil as a trickster or enforcer of moral conduct. It was once believed that whistling at night could summon the Devil, that sweeping after dark might bring his attention, or that sleeping with one's feet facing the door made the soul vulnerable to demonic visitation.Simpson, Jacqueline and Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. pp. 102–104. ISBN 9780192100192. Such beliefs often served a cautionary function in rural communities, reinforcing social norms through fear of supernatural consequences.

These examples illustrate how the figure of the Devil, while originating in Christian theology, became a prominent component of British folk superstition. Over time, demonic motifs were adapted to local traditions, geographic landmarks, and popular narratives, often diverging from formal religious doctrine. The recurring presence of the Devil in legends, architectural features, and moral cautionary tales reflects broader cultural mechanisms for explaining misfortune, reinforcing social norms, and shaping collective memory through folklore.Simpson, Jacqueline and Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. pp. 102–106. ISBN 9780192100192.

In addition to longstanding Christian and folk traditions, diaspora communities in Britain have maintained various customs and beliefs that, while rooted in religious and cultural traditions, are often considered superstitious. These practices reflect the diverse cultural heritage present in the UK and illustrate how religious customs can evolve and integrate into local contexts.

British Jewish communities, particularly those with Eastern European Ashkenazi heritage, maintain folk beliefs and practices outside formal religious doctrine, rooted in historical traditions brought by 18th- and 19th-century immigrants and reinforced by post-Holocaust arrivals.{{cite book |last=Alderman |first=Geoffrey |title=Modern British Jewry |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1998 |isbn=9780198207597 |page=45}} These superstitions are especially prevalent among Haredi communities in Stamford Hill, London, where Yiddish cultural traditions persist.{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Daniel |title=Stamford Hill: The Heart of London's Haredi Community |url=https://www.hackneymagazine.com/stamford-hill-haredi-community |website=Hackney Magazine |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=8 July 2022}}

A widespread superstition is the belief in the "evil eye" (ayin hara), where envy or malevolent glances are thought to cause harm.{{cite web |last=Green |first=Emma |title=Popular Jewish Superstitions |url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/popular-superstitions/ |website=My Jewish Learning |access-date=29 May 2025}} To protect against it, some British Jews, particularly in Stamford Hill's Haredi enclaves, tie a red ribbon or string to a baby's crib or wrist.{{cite web |last=Schischa |first=Rebecca |title=The Red String: A Cultural History |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2023/10/red-string-jewish-tradition/675842/ |website=The Atlantic |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=15 October 2023}} This practice, linked to Eastern European Jewish traditions, is sometimes associated with winding red string around Rachel's Tomb, though its religious legitimacy is debated.{{cite web |last=Weinstein |first=Natalie |title=Judaism and Common Superstitions |url=https://aish.com/judaism-and-common-superstitions/ |website=Aish |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=12 March 2020}}

Other practices include spitting three times or saying "pooh, pooh, pooh" after good news to avert bad luck, believed to counter the evil eye's influence.{{cite web |last=Green |first=Emma |title=Popular Jewish Superstitions |url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/popular-superstitions/ |website=My Jewish Learning |access-date=29 May 2025}} Similarly, avoiding sitting at a table's corner is thought to prevent remaining unmarried, a custom observed in some British Jewish households.{{cite book |last=Alexander |first=Liz |title=Jewish Folk Tales in Britain and Ireland |publisher=The History Press |year=2020 |isbn=9780750991353 |page=172}} These superstitions, while not universal, are more common in Stamford Hill's Haredi community, reflecting enduring Eastern European Jewish cultural influences.{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Daniel |title=Stamford Hill: The Heart of London's Haredi Community |url=https://www.hackneymagazine.com/stamford-hill-haredi-community |website=Hackney Magazine |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=8 July 2022}}

Muslim communities in Great Britain, particularly those with South Asian and Middle Eastern heritage, maintain certain folk practices that, while sometimes linked to Islamic teachings, are often considered superstitious as they fall outside formal religious doctrine.{{cite book |last=Werbner |first=Pnina |title=Imagined Diasporas Among Manchester Muslims |publisher=James Currey |year=2002 |isbn=9780852559208 |page=163}} These practices, prevalent in areas like East London and Bradford, reflect cultural influences from pre-Islamic traditions and diaspora experiences.{{cite web |last=Assad |first=Bilal |title=Myths & Superstitions Among Muslims |url=https://muslimcentral.com/bilal-assad-myths-superstitions-among-muslims/ |website=Muslim Central |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=15 June 2020}}

File:Blue eyes.JPG

A common belief involves the "evil eye" (nazar), where envy is thought to cause harm. To counter this, some British Muslims, especially from Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities, use protective charms like blue beads or recite specific Quranic verses, though such practices are debated as superstitious by some Islamic scholars.{{cite web |last=Ali-Habib |first=Adam |title=10 Things You Thought Were Part of Islam But Aren't |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/adam-ali-habib/islam-facts_b_8353132.html |website=Huffington Post UK |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=29 October 2015}} For example, in East London's Bangladeshi community, mothers may pin black threads or amulets to children's clothing to ward off the evil eye.{{cite book |last=Werbner |first=Pnina |title=Imagined Diasporas Among Manchester Muslims |publisher=James Currey |year=2002 |isbn=9780852559208 |page=165}}

Another practice is saying "dastur" or similar phrases before entering a room or pouring hot water, believed to warn jinn—supernatural beings mentioned in the Quran—to avoid disturbance.{{cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Saima |title=Jinn, the Unseen and Paganism: What Does Islam Say About Halloween? |url=https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/news/jinn-the-unseen-and-paganism-what-does-islam-say-about-halloween/ |website=Religion Media Centre |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=31 October 2022}} In British Pakistani households, some avoid wearing only one shoe, associating it with how Satan walks, a belief rooted in cultural folklore rather than Islamic texts.{{cite web |last=Assad |first=Bilal |title=Myths & Superstitions Among Muslims |url=https://muslimcentral.com/bilal-assad-myths-superstitions-among-muslims/ |website=Muslim Central |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=15 June 2020}} Similarly, folding the edge of a prayer mat after use is practised by some to prevent jinn from using it, particularly in South Asian communities in Bradford.{{cite book |last=Husain |first=Ed |title=Islam |publisher=Rosen Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=9781435850651 |page=1501}}

These superstitions, while not universally observed, are more common in tightly knit communities where cultural traditions from South Asia and the Middle East persist.{{cite book |last=Werbner |first=Pnina |title=Imagined Diasporas Among Manchester Muslims |publisher=James Currey |year=2002 |isbn=9780852559208 |page=164}} Islamic scholars often critique such practices as bid'ah (innovations) or shirk (associating partners with God), emphasizing reliance on God alone.{{cite web |last=Ali-Habib |first=Adam |title=10 Things You Thought Were Part of Islam But Aren't |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/adam-ali-habib/islam-facts_b_8353132.html |website=Huffington Post UK |access-date=29 May 2025 |date=29 October 2015}} Despite this, these customs highlight the complex interplay between religious identity and cultural heritage in Britain's diverse Muslim population.{{cite book |last=Husain |first=Ed |title=Islam |publisher=Rosen Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=9781435850651 |page=1502}}

Folk beliefs concerning death and the soul have long featured in British superstition, often blending Christian, pagan, and local traditions. These superstitions reflect enduring cultural attempts to manage the uncertainty of death, interpret signs of impending mortality, and safeguard the soul's journey in the afterlife.Simpson, Jacqueline and Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. pp. 92–95. ISBN 9780192100192.Davies, Douglas J. Death, Ritual and Belief: The Rhetoric of Funerary Rites. Continuum, 2002. pp. 117–123. ISBN 9780826461651.

One widespread belief held that the soul lingered near the body for three days after death, a notion often reinforced by Christian funeral rites and echoed in rural customs such as delaying burial or maintaining vigil beside the deceased.Harris, Ruth. The Dead and the Living in Paris and London, 1500–1800. Oxford University Press, 2006. p. 233. ISBN 9780199298304. In many regions, clocks were stopped at the moment of death, curtains drawn, and mirrors covered to prevent the soul from becoming trapped or confused.Opie, Iona and Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press, 1989. p. 129. ISBN 9780192829116.

Church bells were traditionally tolled at the time of death not only to notify the community but also to ward off evil spirits and guide the soul toward the afterlife. This belief persisted into the 19th century, particularly in rural areas where the sound of the "passing bell" was thought to protect both the deceased and the living from demonic interference.Hutton, Ronald. The Rise and Fall of Merry England: The Ritual Year 1400–1700. Oxford University Press, 1994. p. 61. ISBN 9780198203637.

Superstitions also surrounded the appearance of death omens. The howling of dogs, sudden extinguishing of candles, or sightings of black birds—especially ravens and owls—were interpreted as signs of approaching death.Briggs, Katharine. The Vanishing People: Fairy Lore and Legends. Batsford, 1978. pp. 87–88. ISBN 9780713401691. In some parts of Britain, it was believed that a white sheet left overnight on a table would invite death into the household.Simpson, Jacqueline and Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. p. 93.

Such customs and beliefs reflect a long-standing vernacular theology in which death was viewed not solely as a biological or theological event, but as a liminal passage surrounded by ritual safeguards and symbolic gestures. While many of these practices, such as mirror covering, bell tolling, or interpreting death omens, coexisted with Christian funerary rites, they largely fall outside formal religious orthodoxy and are better understood as culturally embedded responses to supernatural anxieties concerning the fate of the soul.Davies, Douglas J. Death, Ritual and Belief: The Rhetoric of Funerary Rites. Continuum, 2002. pp. 117–123. ISBN 9780826461651.Opie, Iona and Tatem, Moira. A Dictionary of Superstitions. Oxford University Press, 1989. pp. 128–130. ISBN 9780192829116.Simpson, Jacqueline and Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. pp. 92–95. ISBN 9780192100192.

File:Nance Redferne & Chattox.jpg

Belief in witchcraft has long been interwoven with British superstitions, particularly during periods of religious upheaval or social anxiety, such as early modern Britain (c. 1560–1700), when accusations of sorcery were widespread.{{cite book |last=Valletta |first=Frederick |title=Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition |publisher=Ashgate |year=2000 |isbn=9780754602446 |page=82}} These fears, peaking during the witch trials enabled by the Witchcraft Act of 1563, blended superstition with legal prosecution, as seen in the 1612 Pendle witches case in Lancashire.{{cite book |last=Sharpe |first=James |title=Instruments of Darkness: Witchcraft in England 1550–1750 |publisher=Hamish Hamilton |year=1996 |isbn=9780241129241 |page=108}} Public understanding of witchcraft often hinged on superstitious explanations, attributing misfortune to neighbourly curses, charms, or the 'evil eye'.

To counter perceived malevolent forces, households employed protective superstitions. Witch bottles—ceramic or glass containers filled with iron nails, hair, and urine—were buried under hearths or thresholds to ward off harmful magic, a practice widespread in East Anglia and Sussex during the 16th and 17th centuries.{{cite book |last=Merrifield |first=Ralph |title=The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic |publisher=Batsford |year=1987 |isbn=9780713450125 |page=163}} Apotropaic symbols, such as daisy wheels, pentagrams, or overlapping "VV" (for "Virgin of Virgins"), were carved into timber beams or stonework near doorways, windows, and chimneys to confuse or repel witches.{{cite book |last=Evans |first=Mark |title=Marks of Ritual Protection in Medieval Houses |publisher=English Heritage |year=2005 |isbn=9781850749295 |page=14}}

Other customs included hanging iron objects, like horseshoes, above doorways and concealing old shoes within walls or beneath floors to protect against malign forces.{{cite book |last=Hogg |first=Garry |title=English Country Traditions |publisher=David & Charles |year=1975 |isbn=9780715366783 |page=88}} These practices, rooted in the belief that witches and evil spirits could be deterred by symbolic barriers, were particularly common in rural communities across England and Scotland.

Although the Witchcraft Act was repealed in 1736, belief in supernatural interference persisted in rural Britain into the 19th and 20th centuries, with concealed shoes, protective marks, and superstitions about night sounds or unexplained illnesses often linked to lingering fears of witches.{{cite book |last=Hutton |first=Ronald |title=The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1999 |isbn=9780198207443 |page=126}} In Devon and Cornwall, for instance, tales of "witch marks" and hidden charms continued to circulate among villagers well into the early 20th century.

In the modern era, these beliefs have evolved or been recontextualised. Elements of historical protective customs are echoed in contemporary New Age practices, such as crystal placement and energy-cleansing rituals, which draw on similar symbolic logic. Sites associated with historical witchcraft, like Pendle Hill, remain tied to supernatural folklore, attracting tourists and spiritual seekers interested in Britain's occult heritage.{{cite book |last1=Simpson |first1=Jacqueline |last2=Roud |first2=Steve |title=Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=9780198607663 |page=387}}

Many superstitions in Great Britain involve actions or symbols believed to bring good fortune or protection from harm. A 2023 YouGov survey found that 68% of Britons 'touch wood for luck', while 55% cross their fingers in hopes of a favourable outcome.

The origins of these customs are often ancient. Touching or knocking on wood is thought to derive from pagan beliefs that trees housed protective spirits, and the action served to invoke their favour or avert misfortune.{{cite book |last=Roud |first=Steve |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books Limited |year=2006 |isbn=9780141941622 |page=413 |language=English}}Crossing fingers, meanwhile, dates to early Christianity, where it symbolised invoking the power of the cross for divine protection.{{cite encyclopedia |title=Religious symbolism and iconography |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/religious-symbolism/Varieties-and-meanings-associated-with-the-term-symbol |access-date=30 May 2025}}{{cite web |last=Sterling |first=Jasper |title=The Origins of "Fingers Crossed" as a Symbol of Good Luck |url=https://medium.com/@JasperSterling/the-origins-of-fingers-crossed-as-a-symbol-of-good-luck-48c20d98cfa3 |website=Medium |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=30 May 2025}}{{cite news |last=Mahale |first=Sneha |title=Keeping fingers crossed |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/keeping-fingers-crossed/story-eWNogrMqZxozd8jmYbelsN.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=3 April 2009 |access-date=30 May 2025}}

Avoiding walking under ladders (55%) and the fear of the number 13 (15%) are also common. The triangle formed by a ladder leaning against a wall was once considered sacred, and passing through it was believed to desecrate the space, inviting bad luck.{{cite book |last=Roud |first=Steve |title=A Pocket Guide to Superstitions of the British Isles |publisher=Penguin Press |year=2004 |isbn=9780140515497 |page=90}}

Fear of the number 13—triskaidekaphobia—has been linked to both Norse mythology and the Last Supper in Christian tradition, while Friday the 13th combines two traditionally unlucky symbols. The superstition still influences behaviour: travel bookings and flight prices often drop on that date due to reduced demand.{{cite news |last=Griffiths |first=Emmy |title=Friday the 13th: Why Is It Unlucky? |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/friday-13-unlucky-superstition-origin-december-a4386341.html |work=Evening Standard |date=13 December 2020 |access-date=29 May 2025}}{{cite news |last=Wilson |first=Neil |title=Are Flights Really Cheaper on Friday the 13th? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/are-flights-really-cheaper-on-friday-the-13th/ |work=The Telegraph |date=13 January 2023 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Ladybirds are widely regarded as omens of good luck, with red-coloured beetles seen as especially auspicious in English folklore.{{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Keith |title=Man and the Natural World: Changing Attitudes in England 1500–1800 |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1983 |isbn=9780140060560 |page=56 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qACGVWiq8SIC&pg=PT56}}{{cite web |title=What does it mean when you see a ladybug? |url=https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/ladybug-meaning |website=MindBodyGreen |date=22 March 2022 |access-date=29 May 2025}} Similarly, finding a four-leaf clover—especially in spring—has long been considered a sign of fortune, particularly among rural children.{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=Neil |title=The Mammoth Book of Superstition |publisher=Little, Brown |year=2016 |isbn=9781472111036 |page=206}}{{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Keith |title=Man and the Natural World: Changing Attitudes in England 1500–1800 |publisher=Penguin Books |year=1983 |isbn=9780140060560 |page=56 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qACGVWiq8SIC&pg=PT56}}

Horseshoes nailed above doorways are another protective charm, believed to ward off evil. This belief likely stems from the legend of Saint Dunstan, who tricked the Devil and nailed a horseshoe to his hoof, forcing him to avoid homes bearing the symbol.{{cite book |last=Westwood |first=Jennifer |author2=Simpson, Jacqueline |title=The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England's Legends |publisher=Penguin Books |year=2005 |isbn=9780141007113 |page=464}}

Many protective and luck-based superstitions in Britain have origins in religious or pre-Christian belief systems, but over time have been reinterpreted as secular folk customs. Their continued transmission—often through oral tradition or cultural repetition—has led to the dissociation of these practices from their original theological or ritual contexts, embedding them instead in everyday behaviours and social norms.{{cite book |last=Roud |first=Steve |title=A Pocket Guide to Superstitions of the British Isles |publisher=Penguin Press |year=2004 |isbn=9780140515497 |page=xvii}}{{cite book |last=Simpson |first=Jacqueline |author2=Roud, Steve |title=A Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=9780192100191 |pages=13–14}}

British domestic superstitions often reflect anxieties about household harmony, death, and social order. Many of these beliefs were passed down through oral tradition and remain embedded in everyday habits.{{cite web |last=Gale |first=Rebecca |title=Common British Superstitions and What They Mean |url=https://merl.reading.ac.uk/blog/2020/10/superstitious-countryside/ |publisher=The Museum of English Rural Life |date=30 October 2020 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

One of the most enduring customs is throwing spilled salt over the left shoulder to blind the Devil. This practice, widespread across Britain, is believed to have ancient origins, possibly dating back to the Sumerians, who thought that spilling salt invited misfortune and that tossing a pinch over the left shoulder would ward off evil spirits.{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ben |title=British Superstitions |url=https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/British-Superstitions/ |website=Historic UK |access-date=2025-05-29}}{{cite web |title=The Weird World of British Superstitions |url=https://www.esedirect.co.uk/articles/post/the-weird-world-of-british-superstitions.aspx |website=ESE Direct |access-date=2025-05-29}}

Crossed knives on a dining table are traditionally seen as a sign of impending quarrels. This belief remains common in British households and is often observed by uncrossing the utensils to avoid conflict.

Leaving a white tablecloth on a table overnight is considered an omen of death, particularly in rural England. The superstition holds that the cloth would become a shroud, symbolizing mortality within the household.

Stirring food widdershins—counterclockwise—was believed to spoil the dish or bring bad luck. This practice, especially prevalent among women in domestic settings, reflects the importance of ritual in everyday tasks.

Other domestic superstitions include the belief that two women pouring tea from the same teapot would lead to a quarrel, and that placing new shoes on a table invites bad luck, possibly stemming from associations with death and mourning practices.

Superstitions concerning health and healing have profoundly shaped folk practices in Britain, particularly in rural communities where access to formal medicine was historically scarce, blending religious symbolism, magical thinking, and oral traditions passed down through generations.{{cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=A Dictionary of Superstitions |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1989 |isbn=9780192115973 |page=12}} These beliefs, prevalent across both rural and urban settings, reflect a cultural interplay between pre-scientific knowledge and spiritual anxieties about illness and recovery.{{cite book |last1=Simpson |first1=Jacqueline |last2=Roud |first2=Steve |title=Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=9780198607663 |page=165}}

One well-documented practice is the use of silver rings crafted from communion sixpences to treat convulsions or epileptic fits, particularly in rural England during the 18th and 19th centuries.{{cite book |last=Edwards |first=Charles |title=The History and Poetry of Finger-rings |publisher=Armstrong & Son |year=1880 |pages=132–135}} These rings were believed to possess curative powers only if made by a bachelor smith and given freely without payment, combining Christian sacramental symbolism with folk magic. In Cornwall, similar beliefs led to the use of "sacrifice rings", worn to ward off rheumatism, thought to draw on the sacred properties of church-donated metal.{{cite book |last=Vickery |first=Roy |title=A Dictionary of Plant-lore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1995 |isbn=9780198661832 |page=89}}

In Great Malvern, during the Victorian water cure movement, natural springs from the Malvern Hills were reputed to possess powerful healing properties. The waters were used in treatments for conditions such as gout, ulcers, and skin diseases, and were often accompanied by strict rituals of collection and consumption. While largely medicalised by hydrotherapy practitioners, the springs retained folkloric associations with purity and natural power, and some local traditions framed them as sites of spiritual or supernatural significance.{{cite web |title=The Water Cure Room |url=https://malvernmuseum.co.uk/water-cure-room/ |website=Malvern Museum |access-date=30 May 2025}}{{cite book |last=Wall |first=John |title=Experiments and Observations on the Malvern Waters |publisher=J. Whiston and B. White |year=1757}}{{cite journal |last=Thomas |first=K.B. |title=The water-cure: a Victorian panacea |journal=Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine |volume=82 |issue=3 |year=1989 |pages=147–150 |doi=10.1177/003591575304600102 |pmid=13027285 |pmc=1918458}}This reflected broader anxieties about the medicalisation of natural springs and the perceived boundary between healing and harm in pre-scientific traditions.{{cite book |last=Simpson |first=Jacqueline |author2=Roud, Steve |title=A Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=9780192100191 |page=102}}

Similarly, in Yorkshire, communities have long held beliefs in the healing properties of spring water, particularly for ailments like eye conditions. Traditions such as "Spaw Sunday" involved gathering at local wells believed to possess restorative powers, with rituals often performed to harness these benefits.{{cite news |last=Billingsley |first=John |title=Walking makes you well, on 'Spaw Sunday' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/may/08/calderdale-religion |work=The Guardian |date=8 May 2012 |access-date=30 May 2025}}{{cite book |last=Gutch |first=Eliza |title=County Folk-Lore: Examples of Printed Folk-Lore Concerning the North Riding of Yorkshire, York and the Ainsty |publisher=Folk-Lore Society |year=1901 |page=25 |url=https://archive.org/details/countyfolklore02britgoog/page/n190/mode/2up}}{{cite web |last=Pixyledpublications |title=Spaw Sunday…a revival of an old May custom |url=https://insearchofholywellsandhealingsprings.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/spaw-sunday-a-revival-of-an-old-may-custom/ |website=In Search of Holy Wells and Healing Springs |date=18 May 2013 |access-date=30 May 2025}}

Pregnancy and childbirth attracted numerous superstitions, many persisting into the 20th century. In rural Britain, expectant mothers were cautioned against gazing at animals like hares or consuming foods such as strawberries or liver, for fear these could cause birthmarks or deformities in the unborn child.{{cite web |title=9 Bizarre Myths About Pregnancy |url=https://www.britannica.com/story/9-bizarre-myths-about-pregnancy |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=27 May 2025}} In East Anglia, a belief held that a pregnant woman passing under a low bridge could induce premature labour, reflecting fears of environmental influences on childbirth.{{cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=A Dictionary of Superstitions |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1989 |isbn=9780192115973 |page=67}} These practices reveal deep-seated associations between maternal behaviour and infant health, rooted in centuries of folk wisdom.

Healing superstitions often involved charms, amulets, or rituals performed at liminal times, such as midnight or solstice dawns, when supernatural forces were thought to be potent.{{cite book |last1=Simpson |first1=Jacqueline |last2=Roud |first2=Steve |title=Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=9780198607663 |page=167}} In Devon, moss scraped from gravestones was used in poultices for skin ailments, believed to absorb the healing energy of the dead{{cite news |last=Morton |first=Ian |title=Moss: The 350-million-year-old plants that turn the unsightly into things radiant of beauty |url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/nature/moss-350-million-year-old-plants-turn-unsightly-things-radiant-beauty-203327 |work=Country Life |date=10 September 2019 |access-date=30 May 2025}} and in Anglo-Saxon sources it was believed that moss could drive out evil beings (elfshot) causing illness.{{cite thesis |last=Cayton |first=H. M. |title=Anglo-Saxon Medicine within its Social Context |type=PhD thesis |publisher=Durham University |year=1977 |url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1311/ |page=68 |access-date=30 May 2025}}

In urban areas like London, 19th-century apothecaries sold "toadstone" amulets, fossilised fish teeth thought to cure poisoning—reflecting a blend of folk belief and early commercialism.{{cite book |last=Roud |first=Steve |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=2003 |isbn=9780140515121 |page=234}} In Scotland, the practice of "passing through" a holed stone was believed to cure childhood rickets, with parents taking children to sites like the Clach na Cudainn stone in Aberdeenshire well into the early 20th century.{{cite book |last=McNeill |first=F. Marian |title=The Silver Bough: Scottish Folk-lore and Folk-belief |publisher=Canongate Books |year=1957 |isbn=9780862412319 |page=88}}

While many of these practices lack scientific basis, their persistence underscores the cultural significance of folk medicine in Britain, bridging pre-modern beliefs with contemporary health anxieties.{{cite book |last=Vickery |first=Roy |title=A Dictionary of Plant-lore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1995 |isbn=9780198661832 |page=90}} These superstitions, varying by region and community, highlight the enduring power of symbolic logic in shaping health and healing practices across British history.{{cite book |last1=Simpson |first1=Jacqueline |last2=Roud |first2=Steve |title=Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2000 |isbn=9780198607663 |page=169}}

Superstitions permeate British literature, from Shakespeare's omens in *Macbeth* to Dickens' ghostly tales.{{Cite book |last=Roud |first=Steve |title=Every Man's Book of Superstitions |publisher=Watkins Media |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-78028-894-9 |pages=85–100}} Media, including BBC documentaries and *Most Haunted*, perpetuate supernatural beliefs.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-15 |title=British Folklore and Superstitions |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zqwvg7h |website=BBC Bitesize |access-date=2025-05-27}} Sports fans, notably during UEFA Euro 2020, use lucky rituals, with 30% admitting to superstitions.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Rhiannon |date=2021-07-11 |title=England Euro 2020: Fans' Superstitions for the Final |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/england-euro-2020-fans-superstitions-final-b1881266.html |work=The Independent |access-date=2025-05-27}} Economically, "Elm" street homes sell for 42% less due to horror-inspired superstitions.{{Cite news |last=Booth |first=Robert |date=2021-10-26 |title=Nightmare on UK's Elm Streets as Homes Sell for 42% Less Due to Superstition |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/oct/26/nightmare-on-uks-elm-streets-as-homes-sell-for-42-less-due-to-superstition |work=The Guardian |access-date=2025-05-27}}

File:Good luck to Little Dounepark^^ - geograph.org.uk - 239350.jpg

Modern superstitions in Britain reflect a blend of tradition, pop culture, regional belief, and digital influence. While some are rooted in longstanding rural customs, others have emerged or been revived in response to urban living, media narratives, or collective anxieties.{{cite web |title=The Superstitious Countryside |url=https://merl.reading.ac.uk/blog/2020/10/superstitious-countryside/ |website=MERL |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

A 2023 YouGov survey found that 72% of Britons engage in some form of superstition, with "touching wood" (68%) and "crossing fingers" (55%) the most widely practised.{{cite web |title=Which superstitions are Britons most likely to believe? |url=https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/44997-which-superstitions-are-britons-most-likely-believ |website=YouGov |date=13 October 2023 |access-date=29 May 2025}} Younger adults (18–24) are more likely than older generations to own or wear a lucky charm. A 2020 survey reported that superstitions still affect daily decisions, including clothing choices and avoidance of certain routes or actions.{{cite news |title=Superstitious Brits reveal rituals that affect their daily lives |url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/superstitious-brits-reveal-rituals-affect-4698171 |work=Lincolnshire Live |date=4 November 2020 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Social media has accelerated the circulation of urban myths. Chain messages that promise luck or threaten misfortune remain common, especially among teenagers. TikTok trends like chanting "Bloody Mary" in front of a mirror have reanimated older folkloric games.{{cite book |last=Dundes |first=Alan |title=Bloody Mary in the Mirror: Essays in Psychoanalytic Folkloristics |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |year=1998 |isbn=9781578060603}} Conspiracy beliefs, such as the idea that 5G networks spread illness, have been described as digital-age superstitions.{{cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |title=5G coronavirus conspiracy theory is dangerous and should stop, say ministers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/07/5g-coronavirus-conspiracy-theories |work=The Guardian |date=7 April 2020 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Scotland remains especially rich in mythic retellings and ghost stories, with lingering fears about cursed locations and rituals, such as clapping to protect fairies or saluting lone magpies.{{cite news |last=Reilly |first=John |title=Superstitions: From saluting magpies to clapping to save fairies |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/weird-news/superstitions-saluting-magpies-clapping-save-5332081 |work=Daily Record |date=17 March 2015 |access-date=29 May 2025}}{{cite book |last=Banks |first=Grace |author2=Sheena Blackhall |title=Scottish Urban Myths and Ancient Legends |publisher=The History Press |year=2014 |isbn=9780750957922}} ebook.

Daily superstitions persist across urban and rural contexts. Common rituals include:

• Avoiding three drains in a row
• Not crossing on stairs
• Skipping the 13th floor or omitting room 13 in hotels
• Wishing behaviours: blowing out birthday candles, tossing coins in fountains, breaking wishbones
• Avoiding laundry on New Year's Day
• Taking Christmas decorations down before Twelfth Night (6 January)

These rituals are often habitual and unexamined, passed down from family members or reinforced by cultural narratives.{{cite book |last1=Opie |first1=Iona |last2=Tatem |first2=Moira |title=A Dictionary of Superstitions |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-19-282916-0}}{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Claire |title=Weird Christmas traditions and superstitions tending to survive |url=https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/weird-christmas-traditions-superstitions-tendendo-9807598 |work=Lincolnshire Live |date=24 December 2024 |access-date=29 May 2025}}{{cite web |title=Friday the 13th and other superstitions |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aceandvis/2008/06/friday_the_13th.shtml |website=BBC Blogs |date=13 June 2008 |access-date=29 May 2025}}{{cite news |last=Reilly |first=John |title=Superstitions: From saluting magpies to clapping to save fairies |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/weird-news/superstitions-saluting-magpies-clapping-save-5332081 |work=Daily Record |date=17 March 2015 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Items like horseshoes, rabbit's feet, or lucky heather (often sold by Romani vendors) remain popular, particularly in tourist settings or rural markets.{{cite book |last=Roud |first=Steve |title=The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Penguin Books |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-14-051512-1}}{{cite web |title=30 Fascinating Superstitions from Across Britain and Ireland |url=https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2024/10/08/30-fascinating-superstitions-from-across-britain-and-ireland/ |website=British Newspaper Archive |date=8 October 2024 |access-date=29 May 2025}} Astrology, crystal healing, and manifestation journals reflect a broader cultural shift towards ritualised self-care, merging older beliefs with wellness trends.

One Vice journalist tested a range of British superstitions in daily life—such as walking over three drains, breaking mirrors, and lucky darts—and found the results inconclusive but psychologically meaningful.{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Joel |title=Are Any Old Superstitions True? I Put Some to the Test |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/are-any-old-superstitions-true-test/ |website=Vice |date=12 August 2022 |access-date=29 May 2025}}

Friday the 13th remains the most widely feared date in the British calendar, with anecdotal reports of people avoiding flights, major purchases, or social commitments.{{cite web |title=Friday the 13th and other superstitions |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aceandvis/2008/06/friday_the_13th.shtml |website=BBC Blogs |date=13 June 2008 |access-date=29 May 2025}} The persistence of such date-based superstitions highlights how cultural fears endure despite rational awareness.

• Folklore of the United Kingdom
• English folklore
• Scottish folklore
• Welsh folklore
• Witchcraft in early modern Britain
• Cunning folk in Britain
• British culture

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.folklore-society.com/ The Folklore Society]
• [https://www.museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/ Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Boscastle]
• [https://www.bl.uk/collection-guides/folklore British Library Folklore Collection]

Category:British folklore