Day 139 - The stocks

Moreton in Marsh's stocks...ready to
be put back into action any time!

You can walk through the town you live in every day and still find something new. But really, would you miss seeing stocks sitting in the middle of a green in the centre of the main street? Probably not, but I did! I just noticed them the other day.

At one time, English law required every town or village to have a set of stocks. At first they were used to stop workers from leaving their homes to find work elsewhere that paid them better (obviously this was pre unions). Back in the 14th Century, when stocks started being used, if you broke this law, you're legs were locked in, and there you sat to until you came to your senses.

In reality, the stocks were a minor form of punishment. Other choices include pillories (like a stock, but the ones that a person has to put their head and hands through) and whipping posts (ouch).

As time went on, stocks were used to hold drunks and vagabonds, and people would throw rotten vegetables at them. I am a bit surprised at this because I thought most medieval food was made from half rotten food to begin with. I guess our definition of rotten has probably changed over time...so probably rancid was a better term to use for the vegetables thrown.

Some kindness existed at the time, as many towns had laws that limited you to throwing only soft items. See, the times weren't all bad.

The stocks in Stow on the Wold have even lent their name
to a hotel and restaurant behind it: Old Stocks Inn.
Source: http://www.oldstocksinn.com

In some cases, if the person in the stocks was well liked, the townsfolk would throw flowers. However, if the person was particularly vile, they'd have their shoes and socks removed and their feet tickled. I'm sure this is where the "unusual" comes from our current expression "cruel and unusual punishment."

Now, for my linguist friends, you may be thinking that perhaps this feet tickling punishment is where the expression "laughing stock" came from. Unfortunately, it's not. In that case, stock cames from an old word meaning a branchless tree, and was used as deragatory term for something of ridicule (think of that the next time you call someone a laughing stock..."Hey, you branchless tree...yes, I meant you, you limbless spindly trunk."

I have no idea how long the stocks in Moreton in Marsh have existed or when they were last used. However, the last recorded use in the UK was in 1872. But if you ever come for a visit, just remember not too get too drunk or caught lolling about; while it's been a while since they've been used, stocks have never been formally abolished.