| Abstract: |
Two wooden soled shoes with decorated clasps were recovered during historic building recording of the former Woodlands Mill in Steeton, West Yorkshire by Archaeological Consultancy and Research at the University of Sheffield (ARCUS). They were found in a small recess in a wall, 3-4 m above ground level, within a wheel pit. With the wheel in place, it would have been impossible to access this alcove, indicating that these items are 'concealed shoes' (Swann 1996). The deliberate secretion of old shoes within buildings is not unusual. It is a long-established superstition, common in the 17th century and continuing into the 20th, with a possible 14th century origin.\r\nShoes have been found concealed in buildings ranging from monasteries and stately homes to public houses and cottages, but according to Swann's 1996 study of over 1550 concealed shoes, only 10 have come from factories or workhouses. Although recent archaeological survey at a cotton spinning mill in Manchester revealed two concealed shores within the building complex, these finds are not commonly recovered in industrial settings.\r\nSwann, J. 1996. 'Shoes concealed in buildings', Costume, 30, 56-69. |
