DoneThat
Leominster Priory, Leominster, Herefordshire, England
The Priory Church dates from the 13th century with later alterations. There is a North Nave, shown in this picture, and a South Nave together with a south isle which is as large as the naves and could easily be mistaken for a third nave.
In this nave is the ducking stool of which more later.
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The church is also home to the last used ducking stool in England. It was used as a form of punishment for wives whose husbands thought they were overly talkative but was also used as a test for witchcraft.
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This is the business end of the ducking stool which held the unfortunate victim. If it was used to test for witchcraft they were ducked under water until they died when they were presumed to have been innocent but if they survived, it was presumed that the devil had saved them, so they could be executed as a proven witch. A lose-lose situation.
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