400-year-old cat mummies found embedded in the wall of the house
May 2009, Richard Parson, a funeral director of the company is renovating a house he owned in the region near Ugborough Plymouth. When workers were dismantling the walls of the upstairs bathroom, they found a mummy, mummy of a cat in the intact condition.
Mr. Parson said that a neighbor had told him that the mummy had been found 20 years ago by the previous occupants of the house. But put back by it. Cats are found to still have good form with claws and teeth. Estimated to have reached age 400 years. Possible placed on the wall to ward off evil spirits, according to ancient beliefs.
"It looks horrible and the cat was bigger than the cats in general." Said the parson. "I can not throw it away, so we plan to put it back into the wall. But my wife immediately reject it. He was anxious about having nightmares."
Parson added: "Apparently 400 years ago, people put the dead cat to ward off the witches. Actually, since the long outstanding issue or a legend that there is a cat who was buried in the house. But no one knows the truth"
"I'm not a superstitious person, but the cat looks like part of the history of the village and at least add distinctive charm to the house."
Marion Gibson, a magician and expert of ancient legends of the University of Exeter said: "The cat is sometimes placed on the wall as a good luck talisman. Apparently it is common practice for European society. This was done to ward off the witches, evil spirits, bad luck and all the things which could
visible as a threat to home "
(metro.co.uk)