Finger pillory (original) (raw)

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Restraint device where the fingers are held in a wooden block

In St Helen's Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch

A finger pillory is a style of restraint where the fingers are held in a wooden block, using an L-shaped hole to keep the knuckle bent inside the block.[1] The name is taken from the pillory, a much larger device used to secure the head and hands.

Finger stocks were also used in churches for minor offences, like not paying attention during a sermon. An example still survives in St Helen's Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.[1][2]

1. ^ a b Scott, W (1907). The Story Of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. London: White Lion. pp. 347–348.
2. ^ Thompson, A Hamilton (1927–1928). "Ashby-de-la-Zouch:I.—Architectural Notes on the Church" (PDF). Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society. 15: 56–64.