Object number
59/252
Description
This is an eighteenth-century, Sussex-made, wrought iron ratchet hanger, used for suspending cooking utensils over an open hearth. It consists of a toothed rack with a hook at one end and a fleur-de-lys ornamentation at the other. The ratchet is attached by a shackle to the hooked suspension rod.
Physical description
1 hanger: metal, iron
Label Text
Ratchet hanger. This object, dating from the 18th century and made in Sussex, was used to suspend a cooking pot over a fireplace. The hook was attached to a chimney beam, and the pot hung from the other end. The saw-like ratchets were used to adjust the height of the pot. Essentially, they were the Georgian equivalent of a hob temperature dial on a modern oven. Using a lower ratchet would bring a liquid to the boil, and relocating to a higher ratchet would allow it to simmer.
Archival history
Pre-MERL list / description – [Victoria and Albert Museum] ‘Ironwork objects for transfer to Museum of English Rural Life, Reading ... No. 14. Pot-hook. Wrought iron. A toothed rack ending below in a hook with incised ornament and above in a Fleur-de-lys, attached by a shackle to the hooked suspension rod. English (Sussex): 18th century.'
Production place
Sussex
Production date
1700-01-01 - 1799-12-31
Production period
Eighteenth century
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_4835.tif - High resolution image
