Rural Heritage

I wonder if anyone can put a name to this component of the contraption that joined a horse (or other animals) to the carriage (or plough) driver?

It is a hand-forged item, coupled with a related component.

It is amazing what one gets excited about, isn't it? But this has caught my imagination today.

The back-story is that when we first came to this property I found a pile of hand-forged items under a honeysuckle bush at the end of a line of outbuildings. The previous owner was known locally for collecting any piece of wood that was left lying by the side of the road. Even if it was in the process of being reused, like a gate waiting to be rehung. He even bagged wooden posts that carried road signs.

He brought the found items home, burned the wood and tossed any unburnt metal under the honeysuckle bush.

A number of years ago I resited the precious hand-forged heritage under a different tree. Now that tree has been removed, I have had to rehouse the metalwork under the honeysuckle once again.

The honeysuckle, by the way, is one of my prized possessions. It is an absolute joy to catch a whiff of its blossoms once they are ready. On a cool, damp night it is almost too heady to experience. It communicates the essence of this place. What would I ever do without it?!

So, yes, I was saying that it is amazing what one gets excited about and at the moment I am excited by the rural heritage that is locked in a pile of hand-forged rusty metal!