Object number
51/391
Description
This is a three pronged barley fork made of ash. It was used for 'pooking' - turning over mown barley as it lay in 'windrows' (rows). It was 'cultured' in the hedgerow with a young ash sapling being trained into the desired trident shape, a process that would have taken about ten years.
Physical description
1 barley fork: wood (ash wood); good condition
Label Text
Barley fork. This is a three-pronged ash barley fork. It was used for 'pooking' - turning over mown barley lying in 'windrows' (rows) and stacking it into sheaves. Although some barley forks had two prongs, the use of a third, central prong at an angle to the other two prongs allowed the barley to be collected up in the 'pocket' between the prongs. This fork is probably close to 200 years old - made before iron was used widely in farm tools. It was 'cultured' in the hedgerow, with a young ash sapling being trained into the trident shape over around ten years.
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This ash-wood barley fork was used for ‘pooking’ or turning over mown barley as it lay in windrows. It is at least 100 years old, fashioned in the days before iron was used to any great extent. Of interest is the fact that it was ‘cultured’ in the hedgerow, a young sapling being trained into the desired trident; and this process took about ten years. // It was presented by Mr. Dudley to whom it was given by the late Mr. W. D. Hollis, who stated that it had been found in the rafters of an old Hampshire barn. (accession form original said presumably Hampshire).'
Production date
1800-01-01 - 1824-12-31
Production period
Early-nineteenth century
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\35 series negatives\Scans\35_501.tif - High resolution image
