Stocks are feet restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as …

From the infamous iron maiden to the gruesome breaking wheel, uncover the sinister methods used to extract confessions and inflict punishment in the Middle Ages. The pillory and the stocks were among …

Stocks were a common form of public punishment used throughout medieval Europe. Offenders were restrained by their ankles or wrists in a wooden frame, often in the town square. Villagers were …

In medieval times, stocks served a dual purpose as both a form of punishment and a means of public humiliation. These medieval punishment devices were designed to restrain and expose offenders, …

Oct 16, 2025 · During Medieval times stocks and pillories were employed as forms of punishment, the experience for those confined in them was far from pleasant. Stocks, restraining the feet, and …

Stocks and pillories were not always used as a punishment. They were also a very effective form of restraint. Villages and small towns would rarely have a jail. So someone arrested for a serious crime …

Nov 7, 2025 · Replicas and authentic medieval foot stocks are displayed at the Medieval Torture Museum in Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Augustine. These exhibitions illustrate the history of public …

Discover the history of stocks and pillory as forms of medieval punishment for lesser crimes. Learn how these devices looked and under what circumstances they were used.

The concept of stocks, as we understand them today, traces its roots back to the vibrant marketplaces of medieval Europe. During this era, the rise of powerful guilds, wealthy merchants, and a growing …

Rather like the lesser punishment called the stocks, the pillory consisted of hinged wooden boards forming holes through which the head or various limbs were inserted; then the boards were locked …