Smith Art Gallery & Museum | Details

Sidebar content	Main content
Actions Displays	Town Stocks Remove from selection Add to selection Reproduction Download mediaDownload as zip file Object number01071 TitleTown Stocks DescriptionThe Stirling Town Stocks are an object that would have been as familiar to the town’s people as the Mercat Cross on Broad Street, near which they were placed. Stocks were usually set up in as prominent a location as possible, as public humiliation was seen as a key part in punishment, and a warning to other folk to behave. They were used to punish people for minor crimes such as swearing and drunkenness. Records exist that tell us it was especially popular in the 16th century. In Stirling, the Staffman (the town’s Hangman) was responsible for meting out this type of punishment. Once in position, the criminal would be at the mercy of local people, who would throw rotten food or even stones at them. Our stocks are made from two hefty wooden beams held together by iron brackets. We think the top beam comes from a ship, as it contains small holes made by marine worms. You might be wondering why there are an odd number of openings – were there a lot of one-legged rascals in Stirling? The stocks were in fact designed to hold only one leg per miscreant, meaning an impressive seven of them could have been punished all at once! They were given to the Smith after they were found in a police storeroom in 1892. Production placeStirling, Object nameStocks Crime & Punishment

Reproduction

Download mediaDownload as zip file

Object number01071

TitleTown Stocks

DescriptionThe Stirling Town Stocks are an object that would have been as familiar to the town’s people as the Mercat Cross on Broad Street, near which they were placed. Stocks were usually set up in as prominent a location as possible, as public humiliation was seen as a key part in punishment, and a warning to other folk to behave. They were used to punish people for minor crimes such as swearing and drunkenness. Records exist that tell us it was especially popular in the 16th century. In Stirling, the Staffman (the town’s Hangman) was responsible for meting out this type of punishment. Once in position, the criminal would be at the mercy of local people, who would throw rotten food or even stones at them. Our stocks are made from two hefty wooden beams held together by iron brackets. We think the top beam comes from a ship, as it contains small holes made by marine worms. You might be wondering why there are an odd number of openings – were there a lot of one-legged rascals in Stirling? The stocks were in fact designed to hold only one leg per miscreant, meaning an impressive seven of them could have been punished all at once! They were given to the Smith after they were found in a police storeroom in 1892.

Production placeStirling,

Object nameStocks

Crime & Punishment