Rough Justice

We went over the hill to the village of Oxnam this morning to see the local quilters' exhibition. Very nice it was too, and so was the coffee and home baking that accompanied it.

It was a glorious day - warm and sunny, and we had a lovely walk from the village church down along the Oxnam Water. Strangely, no bluebells there, but a carpet of celandines, violets and speedwell. 

The church is 18th Century and very well cared for. On the wall outside the 'jougs' still hang. I suppose they are the Scots equivalent of the stocks.  Offenders had them placed round the neck, and they were locked in and exhibited to all and sundry till the powers that be - the Kirk Session - decided they'd paid for their immoralities.

I've seen a few sets of jougs, but this is the first I've come across that still has the padlock in place. It makes me think of the fashion for padlocks as love -tokens. Nothing very romantic about this one.

When I got home I discovered that I had deleted all my pictures at some point during the walk, and all I had were a few shots from the churchyard. 
I blame the bright sun on the camera screen - nothing to do with digital idiocy!