Water engineers have unearthed what could prove to be one of the most infamous sites in England’s history of witches and warlocks.

Workers were “stunned” to discover a 17th century witch’s-style cottage, with a mummified cat sealed into the walls, during a routine construction project in Pendle, Lancashire.

The “spellbinding” find occurred near Lower Black Moss reservoir in the village of Barley, which nestles in the shadow of Pendle Hill – the UK’s premier witching hotspot.

Speculation is already rife among local histo-rians that the building could be the lost Malkin Tower – the site of a notorious meeting of the Pendle witches on Good Friday, 1612. Archaeologists brought in by the water firm United Utilities to survey the area found a remarkably well-preserved building from the 1600s, hidden beneath a grass mound.

The building contained a sealed room, with a mummified cat bricked into the wall. It is believed the cat was buried alive to protect the cottage’s inhabitants from evil spirits.

Experts believe the cat was probably placed in the walls at the start of the 19th century, and the room’s two doorways sealed up.

The building also contains a 19th century kitchen range, still in its original position. Many artefacts from the building’s latter years, such as Victorian crockery, a tin bath and a bedstead, were discovered around the site.

Witchcraft in the 17th century

• Witchcraft in Europe during the 17th century was common. It mainly took place in Germany and in England.

• Witches were associated with evil. It was believed witches inherited magical powers from satan in exchange for the witch’s soul.

• Some of these magical powers included outrageous claims such as flying, being able to transform and cursing bad luck on others.

• It was extremely dangerous to be accused of being a witch as the most common punishment was death, often by beheading or even being burnt at the stake.

• A large proportion of society in England believed in witchcraft, but the reasons as to why a country which was developing a belief in science and logic had faith in such a very much mythical based idea still remains a question.

• A typical “witch” would usually be of lower class, a women usually divorced with perhaps a deformity or women with a physical appearance slightly different to other people.

• A surprising number of men with physical differences were also targeted. These types of person were believed to be weak and therefore likely to give into the temptation of Satan, make a pact with him and inflict harm upon society.