A pig gimbrel (32) or Gambrel

Object/Artifact

-

Waterperry Museum

A pig gambrel

A pig gambrel

Name/Title

A pig gimbrel (32) or Gambrel

Entry/Object ID

2025.1.1029

Description

Wooden 'hanger' with sharp notches to help support the weight of the carcass of a pig or calf. Tendons were hooked into the notches. (Hanger is alsoo another term used as well as gimbrel or gambrel).

Context

According to Bob Powell, Working Horse and Farm Historian: "It was cut down from a single horse whippletree / swelltree / (h)eeltree or whatever term you use. In the centre is the bond and hook for connecting to such as a two-horse "swelltree" (Fen dialect) , for which the hook is used to hang the animal up". *A Whipple Tree or Whiffletree spreads a single load into multiple loads. The attached illustration is from Old Farms An Illustrated Guide, John Vince, 1982, and illustrates other various tools used in pig butchering. (Thanks to Gareth Beech from the St Fagans National Museum of History).

Cataloged By

Colin Whittle

Category

Tools

Acquisition

Accession

2025.1

Source or Donor

Gordon Dempster

Acquisition Method

Transfer

Other Names and Numbers

Other Number

32

Material

Wood

Location

* Untyped Location

SWU

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

General Notes

Note

Many thanks to the contributors of the Rural Museums Network discussion on Gimbrels, July 2026