I’m reading a dull book called “Country House Treasures of Britain.” Mostly descriptions of furniture, ornamental plasterwork, etc– pleasant reminders of Britain’s rich cultural past.

A less pleasant reminder of the past are the gibbeting irons and the medieval scold’s bridle for malicious gossips.

Gibbet: an upright post with an arm on which the bodies of executed criminals were left hanging as a warning or deterrent to others.

Scold’s bridle: also known as a “brank,” an instrument of punishment for a scolding woman, consisting of an iron framework for the head and a sharp metal gag for restraining the tongue. (It has these little spikes- to stab the tongue if it moves.)

The Scold’s Bridle: