Apotropaic, ritual or ‘witches’ marks were carved into doors, windows and fireplaces where air, and therefore witches, could enter a building to protect them from such evil spirits. Although common on doors and jambs of doorways, they are most likely to be found around fireplaces. The most common markings are interlocking circles (some carved to create a six-petalled daisy flower effect), concentric circles and intersecting lines creating crosses and M's representing the Virgin Mary or double V’s for ‘Virgin of Virgins’.