A scold's bridle, sometimes called a witch's bridle, a gossip's bridle, a brank's bridle, or simply branks, [1] was an instrument of punishment, as a form of public humiliation. [2]

Apr 22, 2023 · From the 16th until the 19th century, women accused of being scolds, shrews, or having "loose morals" were often fitted masks known as Scold's Bridles that held their tongues with an iron gag.

Jan 15, 2019 · Encased in an iron mask held tight at the back with a padlock, the scold’s bridle, or brank, is a gruesome, commonplace exhibit in the world’s museums, castles and torture-themed tourist traps.

The branks torture mask, also known as the scold’s bridle, was a heinous instrument used primarily to silence and punish women who were seen as troublesome or disobedient during …

The Brank’s or Scold’s Bridle was a torture device commonly used to punish women in medieval times, it was considered a “lesser” kind of torture device during the medieval period.

The Scold’s Bridle stands as a haunting reminder of the cruelty and inequality faced by women in centuries past. It symbolizes a dark period in history when societal norms were enforced through fear, pain, and public humiliation.

Oct 7, 2022 · The ‘scold’s bridle’ or ‘mask of shame’ was a concept developed in medieval Europe to punish people, particularly women, who were found guilty of gossiping, gluttony, eavesdropping or lying. They were usually made of cold, unyielding metal, …

The brank, or scold s bridle, or gossip’s bridle, was neither more nor less than a muzzle. It was In general use in Great Britain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, and In Scotland as well women were muzzled for certain offenses, some at least of them more imaginary than real.

The brank was an instrument employed by our forefathers for punishing scolds. It is also sometimes called the gossip's bridle, and in the Macclesfield town records it is designated "a brydle for a curste queane."

Dec 15, 2017 · A branked scold in New England, from an 1885 lithograph. It was widely believed that only through pain and suffering could a person achieve innocence after a crime was committed. The bridle (or branks) was a form of mirror punishment, which relies on …