One of Jack Frost's posts (about Shoe Trees) set me thinking about Pin, Rag and Nail trees, all of which were popularly used for healing in this country.

Basically, since the well being of Mankind was said to be bound up with the fate of certain trees, people would visit the tree and ask it to magically heal them. Because the tree in some instances was regarded as a God, it would always try to help, feeling it was its duty to help Mankind whenever possible.

Magically speaking, it was important to find a way to leave your pain with the tree. This could be done by hammering a nail, pin or sometimes even a coin into the bark, or sometimes by tying a rag or cloutie in the branches. This last method was popular when the tree grew near water, especially if it was a sacred well (and you might be surprised to realise just how many of those still exist!) In Ireland these trees were sometimes called 'Raggedy Trees'.

You might think that this sort of thing went out with the Ark, but actually it was still practised into the early years of the 20th century (and some say it still is practised in some areas). A wide range of ailments were taken to the trees, including impotence,infertility, warts, tuberculosis, toothache, arthritis and fevers!