Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Ducking stool back to stop the mischief
Favourite sight returns after original rotted
The ducking stool on the River Stour has been a historical curiosity in the city centre for decades.
A replica of a medieval “punishment” device, it is a fascinating talking point for tourists and is one of the most photographed sights in Canterbury.
But over the years, the wooden structure rotted way and had to be removed about six weeks ago. Now it has been replaced with a new one by Canterbury River Tours operator Carey Miles.
He commissioned an oak chair, made by local carpenter Jonny Richards, and a 20ft oak beam which is now in place to continue to provide mischievous stories of errant wives, dunked in the river for talking back to their husbands too much.
Mr Miles said: “River tours date back to the 1930s and we think it was probably installed soon after that as a bit of a historical talking point. An actual original ducking chair is in Fordwich town hall.
“The old one on the Stour has badly deteriorated but it is such an iconic sight in Canterbury that I wanted to replace it with one that should last for many more decades.
“It also provides interesting, humorous tales for our river tour guides and reflects the social history of the time.
“It’s good to see it back in place and the new Lord Mayor of Canterbury will come down to officially launch it on Tuesday - although we won’t be expecting her to sit in the chair, of course.”
Originally called the cuckingstool, or stool of repentance, the device has a long history and was used by the Saxons, who called it the scealding or scolding stool.
It is mentioned in Domesday Book as being in use at Chester, and called cathedra stercoris. Victims were often ‘nagging wives’ who were paraded though the streets amid jeering crowds before being tied to the stool and dunked.
The stool may also have been used as a penalty and public embarrassment for cheating businessmen and as a more severe punishment for suspected witches who were held under water for several minutes.
The last recorded case was that of Sarah Leeke in 1817, in Leominster, Hertfordshire.
The water in the pond was said to be so low that she was merely wheeled round the town in the chair