A scold’s bridle is a British invention, possibly originating in Scotland, used between the 16th and 19th Century. It was a device used to control, humiliate and punish gossiping, troublesome women by effectively gagging them. The scold’s bridle was also known as a ‘gossiping bridle’, ‘witch’s bridle’, ‘brank’s bridle’, or simply ‘branks’ and was commonly used by husbands on their nagging or swearing wives. The device was occasionally used on men; however, it was primarily used on women who agitated the male-dominated society of the era.
