British superstitions

The most interesting superstitions in United Kingdom

Ever wondered why your British friends won't walk under a ladder, or step on pavement cracks?

There are many British superstitions that may seem strange to people new to the culture, however, they are often steeped in history and have weird origins. There are superstitions that are supposed to bring good luck and those that are meant to be bad omens. Here are some of the most unusual how they came to be.

What is a superstition?

A superstition is a belief that is often irrational and based on the supernatural and considered to bring a person good or bad luck. They often centre around the idea that one thing causes another thing to happen, without any scientific evidence to prove or support this.

Number 1.

Magpies and superstition

In Britain there is probably no other wild bird that is associated with superstition as much as the magpie. Folklore has surrounded magpies in the UK and the rest of Europe for 100s of years and Victorians were so fearful of magpies that they nearly hunted them to extinction.

However, before the spread of Christianity the magpie was an important symbolic bird often associated with good luck or fortune. The Romans believed that the magpie was highly intelligent with excellent reasoning abilities, and in Ancient Greece magpies were sacred to Bacchus the god of wine.

Further afield some tribes of Native Americans believed that wearing a magpie feather was a sign of fearlessness, while others considered the magpie to be a sacred messenger of the creator, or even a guardian with shamanic properties.

But the Church viewed the magpie very differently, insisting that it was the only bird not to weep or comfort Jesus during his crucifixion or go into a proper period of mourning because of its pied plumage. From this grew a number of superstitions around magpies and the stories in the bible.

It was also the Church that started the rumor that magpies carry a drop of the devil’s blood in their tongues. If you were to cut the tongue to release the blood then the magpie would be capable of human speech.

But why did the magpie get such a bad interpretation and how did these superstitions come about?

Without a proper understanding of how the world worked our ancestors would try and explain mysterious events by linking them to supernatural causes. Death, in particular, could be very difficult to predict or explain and people quite rightfully were fearful of death and the unknown, that’s why there are so many superstitions about this subject.

Death and thievery

Like other corvids magpies have long been associated with death. In medieval times they would have been found scavenging near battlegrounds, field hospitals, and the gallows in search of carrion.

Magpies are also known for their inquisitive and mischievous nature which meant they earned a somewhat unfair reputation as thieves with a particular liking for jewellery and other shiny objects. If a precious ring went missing it was easy to blame it on a magpie.

Over time, the notion that magpies were bad birds morphed into the idea that magpies will bring bad luck.

Two Magpies

“One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver,

Six for gold,

Seven for a secret

never to be told”

However, as the well-known rhyme shows, it is generally only seeing a lone magpie that is supposed to bring bad luck.

We’re not entirely sure why this is but we do know that magpies often mate for life so seeing a single magpie may mean it has lost its mate and therefore the chance of it bringing bad luck is higher. Indeed, according to the rhyme coming across a larger group of magpies could actually bring you good fortune and wealth.

To help ward off the bad luck that might come your way from seeing a solitary magpie there are a number of things you can do:

Salute the magpie.
Say ‘Good morning general’ or ‘Good morning captain’.
Say ‘Good morning Mr. Magpie, how is your lady wife today?’
Say ‘Good morning, Mr. Magpie, how are Mrs. Magpie and all the other little magpies?’
Say ‘Hello Jack, how’s your brother?’
Doff your hat.
Spit three times over your shoulder.
Blink rapidly to fool yourself into thinking you’ve seen two magpies.
Flap your arms like wings and caw loudly to mimic the magpie’s missing mate.

Regional variations

The fear that a lone magpie will bring bad luck is fairly common throughout the UK and Ireland, but in some areas there are more specific magpie superstitions:

Scotland – A single magpie seen near the window of a house is a sign of an impending death.

Wales – If you see a magpie when starting a journey and moving from right to left then the journey will be hazardous.

Ireland – Magpies are the souls of evil-minded and gossiping women.

Yorkshire – Magpies are associated with witchcraft and you should make the sign of a cross to ward off evil spirits.

Sussex – Bucking the trend, in Sussex a magpie perched on the roof of a house is regarded as a good sign and that the house is in no danger of falling.

We now know that the Romans got it right. Magpies are highly intelligent birds with a brain-to-body mass that is equal to that of the great apes. They can use tools, play games, work in teams, and even mimic human speech.

So if you see a magpie today give it your very best salute, but not because you want to protect yourself from bad luck but to show this smart, colourful bird some well-deserved respect.

Number 2.

Never put shoes on a table

The next superstition under investigation is why is it bad luck to place a pair of shoes on the table? This superstition is widespread throughout Great Britain and Commonwealth countries, but there are also similar taboos about shoes across the world.

According to some, leaving shoes on the table is a harbinger of death. This originates from the practice of honouring fatalities in the mining industry. When a poor miner lost his life down the in pits, his family would leave his boots on the table as a tribute.

In a slightly different origin story, it’s also claimed that the bad luck comes from convicts swinging from the hangman’s noose. Convicts wore shoes when they were executed, and at the end when the rope was cut the toes of their boots would scrape the wooden platform of the gallows. This was associated with the top of a table.

But shoes on the table not only invite death. Some people believe they affect future prosperity and marriage prospects, invite a fight into the house, or bring a storm of thunder and lightning. And in theatrical circles, shoes on the table can cause an actor to stutter on stage.

Hygiene could be the more practical reason behind the superstition. This spread during the Victorian era, when developments in medical science led to society in general becoming more aware of the impact of germs. But there is some dispute about whether this superstition relates to only brand new shoes or any shoes, regardless of age. New shoes, presumably unworn and in bags or boxes, would not have the same health risks as a pair of dirty old sneakers.

However, there are remedies if you’ve accidentally left your shoes on the dining room table. You can ward off the bad luck by spitting on the soles of the shoes or knocking under the tabletop. But to erase the bad luck, the person who put the shoes on the table must be the one to remove them.

Whether the origin comes from deaths in mines, the gallows, or being trampled on, keeping shoes off the table makes perfect sense from a hygienic perspective. This superstition is another example of how wisdom and important information is shared throughout society and down the generations with folklore.

Number 3.

Walking under a ladder

What happens if you go under a ladder?

Some believe that since a ladder was rested against the crucifix, it is considered to symbolize wickedness and death. While there’s no proof of what will happen when one walks under a ladder, the belief is that bad luck will follow them.

First, let's get the practical reasons out of the way. Most people don't want to walk under a ladder because it's just unsafe. If a ladder is up, chances are someone's standing on it, working, and you don't want to take the chance of something falling on your head. Nor do you want to risk jostling the ladder and knocking someone down.

Of course, many other theories exist about the unluckiness of walking under a ladder. One explanation regarding ladders and bad luck has its roots in religion. Many Christians believe in the Holy Trinity -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This belief made the number three sacred in early times, and along with it, the triangle. A ladder leaning up against a wall forms the shape of a triangle, and walking through it would be seen as "breaking" the Trinity, a crime seen as blasphemous as well as potentially attracting the devil.

Also the superstition of bad luck following after one has walked under a ladder has its origins in Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians regarded the shape of the triangle as sacred since it was the shape of the pyramids. Since a leaning ladder forms a triangle, walking under one was considered to bring misfortune.

Others believe that a ladder against a wall resembles a gallows. Ladders used to be propped up to allow the person being hanged to climb high enough to get to the rope. Definitely not very lucky. Yet a third theory involves the Egyptian belief that if you walk under a ladder, you might accidentally see a god climbing up or down.

If you do walk under a ladder, can you reverse your ill fortune?

There are five remedies you can try:

Make a wish while you're walking under the ladder.
Walk backwards through the ladder again.
Put your thumb between your index and middle fingers as you walk under the ladder. (Warning: this is called the "fig sign" and, depending where you are in the world, can be seen as a mildly obscene gesture!)
Say "bread and butter" as you walk under the ladder.
Cross your fingers and keep them crossed until you see a dog.

Another talked-about remedy is to spit on your shoe - but don't look at your shoe until the spit has dried. Or, spit three times between the rungs of the ladder.

It seems easier just to avoid the ladder altogether :)

Number 4.

Opening the umbrella indoors

It is still believed by some that opening an umbrella indoors will bring bad luck. The origins of the umbrella superstition are not totally agreed upon, but some say it can be traced back to the early Egyptians. Back then, umbrellas protected people (mostly nobility or religious leaders) from the heat of the sun, not from the rain and were thought to ward of spirits who might do them harm. To open one inside or even in the shade would offend the God of the Sun.

It was also believed that the Egyptian goddess Nut (Nuit) enveloped the sky like a huge umbrella. The beautiful man-made umbrellas were fashioned with peacock feathers and papyrus and represented the goddess. Because of their religious significance, they were usually held only over the noble classes. The shadow that surrounded the person underneath the umbrella was considered sacred, and if someone other than the nobility stepped on this space, it was considered sacrilegious. Oddly enough, the Babylonians considered it an honor for anyone to step into the shadow of a kings umbrella shade.

Others believe that the bad luck associated with opening an umbrella indoors came to be in 18^th century London, the time when waterproof umbrellas with metal spokes were popularized. These umbrellas were awkward to open and were extremely large in size, which could cause injury to people or break objects if opened inside a house or in a small space. This could cause anger or arguments among family or friends, which was considered bad luck, or at least something to be avoided.

Another variation on the superstition is that if rain is predicted on a given day, take an umbrella with you and it will not rain. And if you leave the umbrella behind, it will definitely rain.

It has also been noted that bad luck does not occur if the umbrella has first been opened outdoors and then brought inside to dry. And that bad luck is associated with an umbrella if it is the color black, was given as a gift, has never been used outside in the rain, is opened on a ship, or is dropped on the floor.

So now you know some of the most common British superstitions originated from and you can choose whether or not to believe and follow them. But there are so much more interesting superstitions in Britain to learn about!

Thank you for your attention!