Ducking Stools

What were ducking stools?

Ducking stools were wooden contraptions onto which a person was tied. They would then be repeatedly dunked in the local pond or river.

Who was punished with a ducking stool?

Ducking stools were popular as punishment for women who argued with or disobeyed their husband.

When were ducking stools used?

Although versions of the ducking stool had been used in the later Middle Ages, they became more popular in the early modern period.