Witches Bells are a part of 19th Century Folk lore brought about a farmer named John Bell and his family who lived in Tennessee, USA. They encountered an entity in their home that they later named “Kate” after Kate Batts “witch” from the local area.

The entity took the form of a dog and would disappear as fast as it appeared, it would also appear as a bird and later a young girl. The family would hear scratching and knocking on doors and walls, then gnawing on the beds; they would hear “invisible” dogs fighting and chains being pulled across the floor. At about the time John experienced paralysis in his mouth the family would experience bedding being removed and Betsy the daughter was of particular interest to the entity and would experience being pinched, slapped, poked and stuck with pins.

John then reached out to family friend James for help who also encountered some of the same experiences. As time passed the entity became vocal and would answer back in conversation and question, often quoting passages from the bible.

Many people experienced “Kate” and over time she took a fond liking to Johns wife Lucy giving her fresh fruit and signing to her. Over the years “Kate” would come and go and was never seemed to be more than menace. The full Folk story is an interesting read.

The bell itself has significant meaning in many cultures, religion and witchcraft. But the one common factor seems to be luck and protection. The bells themselves are also often worn as amulets and tied around the necks of animals that were important to villages. They were used as fertility charms and used in rites, used as vessels and medicine drunk from them. In the middle ages the ringing of the bell was said to “clear the air” and had been suggested by Doctors to clear disease.

Bells were also said to raise the spirits of the dead and wake the fairies.

Shopkeepers hung bells over their door ways to keep the bad spirits out Churches rang the bell to remind people of their faith, to alert of important occurrences and repel evil.

Through the year’s bells have been symbolic in magic and spiritual powers and used in many religious rites but in more modern times the “Witches Bells” are hung from the front door to repel evil spirits and protect the home.