Ducking Stool

The first recorded use of the ducking stool in Christchurch was in 1350 and the last in 1809. This replica was placed by the Mill Stream in 1986 to celebrate the centenary of Queen Victoria granting the charter that gave Christchurch borough status.

The ducking stool was historically used for public humiliation of individuals, particularly women, accused of minor offenses such as scolding or witchcraft. The replica in Christchurch, placed in 1986, commemorates the centenary of Queen Victoria's charter and reflects the town's medieval judicial past.