4 - the stocks and pillory

History

What were the stocks and pillory used for in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?

They were common forms of punishment used to humiliate those who committed minor crimes.

How did the stocks function as a form of punishment?

The stocks were a wooden frame where criminals were confined by their ankles and put on public display.

What did the 1351 Act require regarding the stocks?

It made it compulsory to set up stocks in villages to punish runaway servants and those who committed minor crimes.

What did the 1406 Act mandate regarding the stocks?

It required every town to have a set of stocks to punish drunks, gamblers, and vagrants.

How long could criminals be put in the stocks for failing to pay fines?

They could be put in the stocks for three to six hours.

When were the stocks abolished?

The stocks were abolished in 1872.

Where was the last use of the stocks in Wales?

The last use in Wales was in Newcastle Emlyn.

How did the pillory function as a form of punishment?

The pillory was a wooden frame that confined criminals by their neck and wrists.

What would sometimes happen to criminals in the pillory?

Crowds would sometimes throw stones and rotten fruit at them.

What happened to those accused of sexual crimes in the pillory?

They were often attacked by crowds and sometimes killed.

When was the pillory abolished?

The pillory was abolished in 1837.

What was Ceffyl pren in Wales?

Ceffyl pren was a form of public humiliation where criminals were carried on a pole or ladder.

What was unique about the Ceffyl pren punishment in Wales?

It usually took place at night, where men dressed in women’s clothes, a mock trial was held, and a procession followed.