The Witches’ Ladder: An Old Charm to Curse, A Spell to Protect

Nothing fascinates me like a look into the past. Particularly with old folk magic charms and spells. One witchcraft tool called the witches’ ladder is not only intriguing to read about but powerful to craft for yourself. I know, because I’ve done it. Here we’ll explore the origins of the witches’ ladder in British folk magic, and learn how to make one.

First, What is a Witches’ Ladder?

So, is the witches’ ladder a ladder on which to climb up or something else entirely? The witches’ ladder isn’t the kind of ladder that’s lugged around in work trucks to climb up walls and trees. No, the witches’ ladder is an old folk charm from Europe that was likely used for many different magical reasons. Put simply, it is a tool used by witches to create change in the world around them. And has likely been used for centuries, as we have evidence of it in nineteenth century Britain and Italy. Interestingly, there is some debate between modern scholars as to whether witches ladders were actually a thing. My honest opinion? I believe they existed (and most definitely exist today).

The Wellington Witch’s Ladder

The witches’ ladder discovered in England is the Wellington Witch Ladder and is one of the first photos you’d see if googled. In 1878, a group of construction workers found a strange old cord in the attic of a house they were getting ready to demolish. Rumor had it that a witch had lived in the home before, so the men were frightened by the discovery. According to David Castleton’s blog, the men found an armchair that they assumed the witches rested in, six brooms for the witches to fly on, and a “witch’s ladder” they said the witches used to climb back and forth between houses.

The witch’s ladder was a one and a half meter long string knotted with chicken feathers. There’s some speculation that the men may have exaggerated due to the preconceived idea of the home once belonging to a witch. AND the fact that this discovery was made during the Victorian era, where the interest in life after death had become a spiritual movement called Spiritualism. Basically, during this time, there was a renaissance of interest in things like the paranormal, including spirits and witchcraft, etc. Might the story have been twisted for media attention or fabricated all together? Sure. But it is still possible the witch’s ladder they found was the knotwork of someone who practiced folk magic.

The Witches Ladder is based on knot magic.

If we examine the witches ladder by materials, we see it’s made up of string, rope, or cord of some kind. And often has feathers and other trinkets knotted into it. A witches ladder is based on cord or knot magic, a form of magic that’s been used for centuries by witches AND sailors, believe it or not. When sailors used knot magic, they would knot or release certain knots with the intent to either raise or calm the winds. In old folklore, witches were said to raise storms by braiding, knotting, and releasing cord spells. According to Judika Illes, knot magic is one of the most primordial forms of magic. Immediately I think of the ancient Celts, whose symbols were almost always of a knotted design.

In some Wiccan traditions, a ritual cord called a cingulam is used to mark out the circle of a coven, to count the members in a coven, or for specific spell intentions. This cord is typically nine feet long and can be two or three cords braided together of varying colors. Traditionally, black, red, and white cords are braided together to form the coven’s cingulam.

Against the Evil Eye AND For Cursing Purposes

In Doreen Valiente’s An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present, she states that witches ladders were used to “baffle the evil eye”. By twining and interlacing knots for this intention, the idea was that the evil eye energy would travel up the cord and get stuck or wander and lose its force against the target.

Writer and occultist Charles Godfrey Leland also writes of witches ladders in his book Etruscan Roman Remains in Popular Tradition, 1892. He says he showed an old Italian woman the engraving of a supposed witches ladder to which she replied, “Why that is la guirlanda delle strege which I described yesterday.” And goes on to say the hen feathers were likely the most important part of the spell known as Il Pollo nero, or the Black Hen. In Italian witchcraft, the witches garland (ladder) was frequently used in hexing and cursing.

Witches Ladders & Knot Magic in the Malleus Maleficarum

If you’ve never heard of the Malleus Malificarum, it is a book written by two witch hunters in the 15th century. And it was used as a means of accusing, identifying, and executing witches. There are references to the witches ladder, knot work, and cord spells throughout the book. which to me is even better evidence that the witches ladder wasn’t “made up” in the Victorian era but was an actual folk charm for centuries before.

According to early twentieth century writer Montague Summers:

“But the Witch’s Ladder, as it was often known, could be used with far more baleful effects. The knots were tied with certain horrid maledictions, and then the cord was hidden away in some secret place, and unless it were found and the strands released the person at whom the curse was directed would pine and die. This charm continually occurs during the trials. Thus in the celebrated Island-Magee case, March 1711, when a coven of witches was discovered, it was remarked that an apron belonging to Mary Dunbar, a visitor at the house of the afflicted persons, had been abstracted.

Miss Dunbar was suddenly seized with fits and convulsions, and sickened almost to death. After most diligent search the missing garment was found carefully hidden away and covered over, and a curious string which had nine knots in it had been so tied up with the folds of the linen that it was beyond anything difficult to separate them and loosen the ligatures.

In 1886 in the old belfry of a village church in England there were accidentally discovered, pushed away in a dark corner, several yards of incle braided with elaborate care and having a number of black feathers thrust through the strands. It is said that for a long while considerable wonder was caused as to what it might be, but when it was exhibited and became known, one of the local grandmothers recognized it was a Witch’s Ladder, and, what is extremely significant, when it was engraved in the Folk Lore Journal an old Italian woman to whom the picture was shown immediately identified it as la ghirlanda delle streghe.”

How to Make Your Own Witches Ladder

Crafting witches ladders is easy in the physical sense but indeed requires a certain level of concentration. Mentally, you’ll have to be able to concentrate on your intention the entire time you’re knotting your ladder. And spiritually, you should do your best to achieve a relaxed altered state in order to weave your intentions into the cord. When selecting your cord and other materials, consider weaving color magic into your choices. For example, choose a white or red cord if your intention is protection. Choose green for prosperity and money. Black to banish negative energy, etc. You can do the same with the feathers and trinkets you choose to add to your ladder.

As far as intentions go for your ladder, you can cast nearly any spell using knot magic. I’ve used the witches ladder to protect myself and my household. I have made a smaller witches ladder to protect my travels in my car and hung it from the rearview mirror. And I’ve made them to draw faeries to my garden. They were all effective and powerful.

What You’ll Need:

• String, ribbon, or twine (2-3 ft or more – it depends on how long you want to make your witch’s ladder)
• 9 feathers and/or small charms or trinkets like seashells, crystals, sun catchers, bells, and beads (traditionally, nine hen feathers were used in British folk magic but how you make your witches ladder is entirely up to you!)
• OPTIONAL: vials with herbs (you can purchase vial necklace pendants at craft stores that you can fill with herbs and other items to further enhance your spell’s intentions. IE calendula petals for prosperity and joy)

How to Make Your Witches Ladder

1. Gather all materials and cleanse your space if you so choose.
2. Turn on music or nature sounds. Whatever gets you into the mood.
3. Start by making a knot at one end of the ribbon. While knotting the ribbon say “By knot of one, my spell has begun” and add your first feather/trinket to the knot.
4. Then moving down the ribbon 3-5 inches approx. Tie a second knot and say, “by knot of two, ________ (insert your intention here) I call on you.”
5. Move down another 3-5 inches approx and tie your next trinket into the third knot. And say, “by knot of three, my spell of __________ live free.”
6. On the fourth knot, say “by knot of four, ye witch’s ladder is your door.”
7. On the fifth knot add another, and say, “by knot of five, with your help may my magic thrive.”
8. On the sixth knot, tie and say, by knot of six, may this witches ladder act betwixt.”
9. On the seventh knot, add another trinket, tie and say, “by knot of seven, manifest my intention.”
10. On the eighth knot, tie and say, “by knot of eight, _____________ (insert intention) come now and don’t be late.”
11. On the ninth knot, add your last trinket and say, “by knot of nine, my spell is true and divine.”
12. Then say, “so be it.”
13. Hang your witches ladder where it will have the biggest effect. For example, if you made one for love, hang it in the bedroom. For household protection, hang it at the front door. You get the point.

What Happens if the Ladder Breaks?

If you’re crafting your witches ladder and it breaks in the process, it’s best to bury the cord itself and try again with a new cord. It could very well be that the energy was too strong for that piece of cord to contain. If it happens again, consider braiding two or three cords together to make the ladder strong enough to hold your energy and intentions. If you’ve already crafted the ladder and it’s spell has already manifested, you may consider taking it down and burying it. OR if it’s manifested and the ladder breaks, you can consider the spell complete. I like to bury my spell remnants for drawing things to me in the East, where the sun rises. And anything that I’ve banished I bury in the West OR off my property all together. This depends on the original intention, of course.