A bottle more than 200 years old containing a foul-smelling “witch’s brew” designed to ward off disease in cattle has been analysed after being found at a National Trust estate in Dorset.

There was no trace of tail of newt or eye of bat. Instead, the sludge-like substance appears to be mainly made up of salt water and cow fat. The 15.2cm (6in) bottle is believed to have been buried during an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the surrounding area in the 18th century, which some blamed on evil spirits.

A trust warden discovered the bottle while repairing a dry stone wall. It was buried on the Bankes estate near Corfe. Although more than 200 similar bottles have been discovered, this is one of the few that had its contents intact. It had been sealed with a cork.

Nancy Grace, a National Trust archaeologist, left, said: “Most bottles would act as charms to protect people from disease or to harm someone. They have been found with human hair, urine, pins and various other items, but never to my knowledge with animal remains. It is possible that when livestock suffered ill-health, witchcraft was identified as the cause.”

Parish reports confirm the existence of horned cattle distemper in the mid 1700s in counties around Dorset.

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