Old Shoes Found Under This 1725 MA Home Could’ve Protected the Property From Spirits

Yes, you read that correctly.

Nothing intrigues this writer more than history and ghosts, so this was an interesting story to stumble upon.

The Tilden House sits in Canton, Massachusetts, and was built by a couple named David and Abigail almost 300 years ago in 1725, according to the home's website. Today, the structure is one of the first surviving houses in the area, and "preservation efforts are underway to protect and preserve this unique American home."

So, where do the shoes come in?

Well, the site explained that during a project to "frame out the new accessible bathroom and a small catering kitchen," several shoes were found underneath the kitchen floor.

It turns out that it's fairly normal to find hidden shoes in older houses, especially in crawl spaces, attics, floors, and other nooks and crannies, because it was believed the footwear prevented evil spirits from entering homes.

In this BBC article, various experts gave their best take on why shoes were chosen as a means of warding off spirits, witches, demons, and so on.

History professor Malcolm Gaskill guessed that since shoes mold to the shape of one's foot, they were "considered "imprinted" with the "character and essence" of the wearer. Historian Ceri Houlbrook also explained that "the evil force believes the shoe to be the person, attacks the shoe instead, and becomes trapped inside it."

The specific motive for hiding the shoes likely evolved as time went on, according to the article. Whatever the reason, stories like this are always fascinating, and we're glad those at the Tilden House had this fun find.

To learn more about the ongoing excavations at the Tilden House, click here.