Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Should ‘symbol of female torture’ be consigned to past?
Debate over city’s infamous ducking stool
Calls to remove a famous ducking stool amid claims it is an “object of hate” have been branded ridiculous.
The wooden chair, which juts over the River Stour in Canterbury, is one of the city’s most photographed sights but opponents suggest it needs to be taken down - or even destroyed with a chainsaw.
They question why the stool, which is a replica of the instrument used to trial suspected witches, should continue to sit “as a vague symbol of abuse and torture” and “of intolerance toward women”. Rambler Will Parsons, who hikes across the country as a musical pilgrim, believes Canterbury should rid itself of the chair or install a plaque informing tourists of its dark past. His comments - posted on Facebook - have sparked a debate - receiving both backlash and support, with some suggesting it should be moved to a museum or unceremoniously chopped up.
But the overarching belief is that the city’s history should remain intact and be kept on show for all to see.
“The practice of using these stools ended in Britain in 1809,” Mr Parsons said. “That’s not long ago.
“My question is, should these relics of medieval torture remain on public display? And if so, how should we properly interpret them?
“There is no historical evidence of who suffered at this ducking stool... it simply stands as an unexplained item in the middle of a sacred city. “The stool itself is an object of hate, designed to torture and murder women publicly. “Of course, the council no longer accepts domestic violence, public or private, to be legitimate.
“So why is there still a ducking stool, without any interpretative plaque to explain its history and to tell its story that we can learn from, in the centre of modern Canterbury?”
The ducking stool was replaced three years ago by Canterbury River Tours operator Carey Miles after the previous structure rotted away.
It is a key feature in the river tours - providing a fascinating talking point for tourists. Michael Steed, a former city councillor and honorary lecturer in politics and international relations at the University of Kent, says he wants the stool to remain in place.
“The idea of removing the ducking stool is ridiculous,” he said. “We should not erase our past - we need to be more aware of it. I don’t think we’re aware enough of the horrifying elements of our past. The stool is a visible reminder of just how cruel punishment was in this country. We carried on hanging people until 1964.
“We should not remove evidence, we should acknowledge it. I would definitely welcome having a plaque there.” Originally called the cucking stool, or stool of repentance, it has a long history and was used by the Saxons. Victims - often ‘nagging wives’ - were paraded though the streets before being tied to the stool and dunked.
■ Email your views to kentish gazette@thekmgroup.co.uk.
‘The idea of removing the stool is ridiculous. We should not erase our past - we need to be more aware of it’