Joyce and the Jougs

Today's the day ...................... to take a tour

This evening, we went on a town tour of Kirkcudbright led by Joyce, on behalf of the town's History Society.

It was fascinating stuff because a lot of history has happened there over the centuries since the middle ages when it all began.  And Joyce was an excellent person to be telling us all about it because she is a local, born and bred.  This is her explaining about the jougs attached to the wall of the Tolbooth.  And, in case you didn't know, it is 'an iron ring, fastened by a chain to a wall, post or tree, in which an offender was held by the neck' - and had to endure all sorts of verbal and other abuse from the inhabitants of the town.  They were common in Scotland from the 16th to the 18th century.

We were taking notes and listening to Joyce's every word because next month, we'll be the ones leading the tour .......................!