Old English Yokes

[clayfoot-sandyman]

In the previous thread (“pasture time is over….”) there was some discussion about old English yokes which sent me on a bit of a research mission which turned up these pictures from the ‘Museum of English Rural Life’ database….thought some of you might find them interesting, they were all collected in the 19th century as oxen were vanishing from the English landscape.

from Wiltshire and is made from Oak with Willow bows.
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No info on the origin/materials of this one
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This one comes from Devon
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http://www.reading.ac.uk/merl/the_collections/ad_search.html

http://www.reading.ac.uk/merl/

…..Ed

[Nat(wasIxy)]

I only have pics in books – I’ve mostly focused on european collars and head/horn yokes, not a neck yoke fan. Sorry not to have replied sooner! Thanks for doing it for me ed!

[Dick Roosenberg]

Partridge’s book, Farm Tools, from England shows yoke designs similar to the Devon yoke in your illustration. These are different from the American norm (which are similar to the Wiltshire example) in that beam is not as deeply carved to craddle the neck in the neckseat. I wonder if that was not as necessary in the long cleared fields of England. Is Wiltshire more rocky than Devonshire?

Also, it seems from old literature that European farms were more likely to hitch multiple pairs (or spans) to pull a plough than American farmers. That would mean that their yokes asked less varied loads — especially with fewer spikes in draught.

Thanks for the pictures!

[Author]

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