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Agricultural antiques

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John

John Report 6 Nov 2006 16:23

Hi I have a couple of 17th century wills of Wiltshire yeoman farmers. They both left Reek (Rick) Stavells, sulls and cowles amoungst their 'goodes & chattelles'. Is there anyone out there who can PLEASE tell me what they were? Many thanks in advance Andy

Denis

Denis Report 6 Nov 2006 16:31

Hi If there is no response from through GR then I suggest you contact the Museum of English Rural Life at Reading. A really excellent collection of material: http://www.rdg.ac.uk/rhc/index.html Denis.

Janet in Yorkshire

Janet in Yorkshire Report 6 Nov 2006 16:44

A sull was a small plough - not sure about the other two Could cowl be a small cow (calf)? - only know cowl as some kind of covering or hood. Stave is usually some form of stick - for supporting the rick? scaling it (kind of ladder?) Jay

redlyncher

redlyncher Report 6 Nov 2006 18:55

A cowl is also a covering for a chimney stack or such like. From dictionary.com: 6. a hoodlike covering for increasing the draft of a chimney or ventilator. 7. a wire netting fastened to the top of the smokestack of a locomotive to prevent large sparks from being discharged; a spark arrester. So I am guessing it is just some sort of old form of the world cowl and a covering of some agricultural implement. I also found a website of Cornish words and a cowle is listed as a fish-basket. Don't know if that is anything.

John

John Report 7 Nov 2006 14:12

Many thanks for your replies. The Museum of Rural Life were very helpful and came up trumps. For anyone interested:- Reek- a mow or reap of corn so laid for its preservation out of any barn. Reek-stavell – a frame of wood placed on stones on which such a mow is placed. Sull – a southern and western word for plough – ‘the two-wheel great west county sull as they call it there.’ ICowl – rake without prongs i.e. a long-handled mud-scraper.