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The jougs, juggs, or joggs (, from
File:The jougs at Oxnam Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 775038.jpg, Jougs at
Video showing the Kilmaurs Jougs
Video and narration about the Fenwick Jougs
*
Bygone Punishments of Scotland
' by William Andrews 1899 on electricscotland. Modern instruments of torture Physical restraint
The jougs, juggs, or joggs (, from Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, a yoke
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, used in dif ...
) is a metal collar formerly used as an instrument of punishment in Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
and other countries. When the soldiers of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
's army occupied Scotland, they were horrified at the church using such a punishment, and many were removed from church walls and destroyed.Martin, Daniel (2016). ''Upper Clydesdale. A History and Guide'' Birlinn, Edinburgh, Scotland. p. 22.
Purpose
The jougs was an iron collar fastened by a short chain to a wall, often of the parish church, or to a tree ormercat cross
A mercat cross is the Scots language, Scots name for the market cross found frequently in Scotland, Scottish cities, towns and villages where historically the right to hold a regular market or fair was granted by the monarch, a bishop or ...
. The collar was placed around the offender's neck and fastened by a padlock
Padlocks are portable Lock (security device), locks with a shackle that may be passed through an opening (such as a chain, chain link, or hasp staple) to prevent wikt:use, use, theft, vandalism or harm.
Naming and etymology
The term '':wikt: ...
. Time spent in the jougs was intended to shame an offender publicly. Jougs were used for ecclesiastical as well as civil offences. Some surviving examples can still be seen in their original locations in Scottish towns and villages. Jougs may be the origin of the later slang word "jug", meaning prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where Prisoner, people are Imprisonment, imprisoned under the authority of the State (polity), state ...
.
Examples
Sir Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...
rescued the jougs from Threave Castle in Kirkcudbrightshire and attached them to the castellated gateway he built at Abbotsford House.Napier, George G. (1897). ''The Home and Haunts of Sir Walter Scott, Bart.'' James Maclehose, Glasgow, Scotland. p. 153.
In Stewarton, East Ayrshire
East Ayrshire (; ) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headquarters of the council are located on London Roa ...
, the jougs were attached to the old bridge that crossed the burn and connected to the drive that ran up to Corsehill House.
The Sanquhar Tolbooth Museum in the Nith valley has jougs attached to the wall just outside the entrance to the old gaol.
The jougs at Sorn Kirk were stolen in the 1930s, but located and returned. Cuthbertson refers to the jougs as "symbols of the session's power against gossips and evil-doers".
The jougs at Kilallan Kirk near Kilmacolm were stolen and by chance retrieved and donated to the local museum. A story is told of a lady of short stature who was placed in the jougs; however, she fell off the box and was strangled, as the chain was too short for her.
The jougs on the Isle of Cumbrae survive, attached to a gatepost at the entrance to the Millport Old Cemetery.
The "Clachan Oak" is an ancient sessile oak near Balfron in Stirlingshire. It can still be seen bearing metal bands around its trunk to which jougs were once attached for the restraint and humiliation of petty criminals.
Mr. Carse of the Shawhill Estate protected a fine old thorn tree that grew at the Hurlford Bridge end by attaching a pair of jougs to it, made by David Brown the local blacksmith. These were never used, but acted as a deterrent to local children who might have harmed the tree.Wilson, M. (1875). ''The Ayrshire Hermit: Tammie Raeburn. Hurlford Sixty Years Ago''. Kilmarmnock: Alfred Chas. Jonas. pp. 40, 41
Gallery
Oxnam
Oxnam () is a village near Jedburgh, in Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is a primarily residential village.
The placename Oxnam is from Old English ''oxa'' ( genitive ''oxan'') " oxen" and ''ham'' "village", the meanin ...
Parish Kirk, Scottish Borders
File:Jougs at Duddingston Kirk.jpg, Jougs on the perimeter wall of Duddingston Kirk, near Edinburgh
File:Jougs at Stobo Kirk.JPG, Jougs at Stobo Kirk, Scottish Borders
File:Instrument Of Punishment - geograph.org.uk - 283971.jpg, Jougs attached to the tolbooth at Kilmaurs, Ayrshire
File:Jougs at Eckford Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 636814.jpg, Jougs at Eckford Parish Kirk, Scottish Borders
File:Abernethy jougs, Perth and Kinross.JPG, Jougs at the entrance to the parish kirk in Abernethy, Perthshire
File:Jougs of South Leith Parish Church.JPG, Jougs of South Leith Parish Church
File:The Jougs at Kirkcudbright - geograph.org.uk - 538366.jpg, Jougs attached to Kirkcudbright Tolbooth, Kirkcudbrightshire
See also
*Scold's bridle
A scold's bridle, sometimes called a witch's bridle, a gossip's bridle, a brank's bridle, or simply branks, was an instrument of punishment, as a form of public humiliation. It was an iron muzzle in an iron framework that enclosed the head (altho ...
* Shrew's fiddle
A shrew's fiddle or neck violin is a variation of the yoke, pillory, or rigid irons whereby the wrists are locked in front of the bound person by a hinged board, or steel bar. It was originally used in the Middle Ages as a way of punishing those ...
* Stool of repentance
References
External links
{{Commons categoryVideo showing the Kilmaurs Jougs
Video and narration about the Fenwick Jougs
*
Bygone Punishments of Scotland
' by William Andrews 1899 on electricscotland. Modern instruments of torture Physical restraint