Dog Whipper
Encyclopedia
A dog whipper was a church official charged with removing unruly dogs from a church or church grounds during services.
In some areas of Europe during the 16th to 19th centuries it was not uncommon for household dogs to accompany - or at least follow - their owners to church services. If these animals became disruptive it was the job of the dog whipper to remove them from the church, allowing the service to continue in peace.
Dog whippers were usually provided with a whip (hence the title) or a pair of large wooden tongs with which to remove the animals. They were generally paid for their services, and records of payments to the local dog whipper exist in old parish account books in many English churches. In some areas a portion of village land was made available for the use of the dog whipper, the small park named 'Dog Acre' in Birchington-on-Sea
is the remnant of such a grant.
Some villages employed dog whippers in a more general capacity, dealing with stray and disruptive dogs throughout the village. In this sense dog whippers were precursors of modern animal control officer
s.
Dog whippers became less common from the late 18th century onwards, presumably because animals were increasingly unwelcome at church services. One of the last recorded dog whippers was one John Pickard, who was appointed to Exeter Cathedral
in 1856. A small room in the cathedral is still known as the Dog Whipper's Flat.
A dog whipper's whip survives in the parish church of St Anne at Baslow in Derbyshire
and a dog whipper's pew is preserved in St. Margaret's Church in Wrenbury, Cheshire
. A notable carving of a dog whipper removing a dog with his whip can be seen in the Great Church of St. Bavo
in Haarlem
.
With the advent of animal shelters, this job became obsolete.
In some areas of Europe during the 16th to 19th centuries it was not uncommon for household dogs to accompany - or at least follow - their owners to church services. If these animals became disruptive it was the job of the dog whipper to remove them from the church, allowing the service to continue in peace.
Dog whippers were usually provided with a whip (hence the title) or a pair of large wooden tongs with which to remove the animals. They were generally paid for their services, and records of payments to the local dog whipper exist in old parish account books in many English churches. In some areas a portion of village land was made available for the use of the dog whipper, the small park named 'Dog Acre' in Birchington-on-Sea
Birchington-on-Sea
Birchington-on-Sea is a village in northeast Kent, England, with a population of around 9,800. It is part of the Thanet district and forms the civil parish of Birchington. It lies on the coast facing the North Sea, east of the Thames Estuary, between the seaside resorts of Herne Bay and Margate.As...
is the remnant of such a grant.
Some villages employed dog whippers in a more general capacity, dealing with stray and disruptive dogs throughout the village. In this sense dog whippers were precursors of modern animal control officer
Animal control officer
Historically, Dog whippers were charged with keeping dogs out of churches in 16th- to 19th- century Europe; they also sometimes filled a general animal-control role in villages, confining strays...
s.
Dog whippers became less common from the late 18th century onwards, presumably because animals were increasingly unwelcome at church services. One of the last recorded dog whippers was one John Pickard, who was appointed to Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
in 1856. A small room in the cathedral is still known as the Dog Whipper's Flat.
A dog whipper's whip survives in the parish church of St Anne at Baslow in Derbyshire
Baslow
Baslow is a village in Derbyshire, England, in the Peak District, lying between Sheffield and Bakewell. It is situated on the River Derwent just north of Chatsworth House. A seventeenth century bridge spans the river in the village, alongside which is a contemporary toll house...
and a dog whipper's pew is preserved in St. Margaret's Church in Wrenbury, Cheshire
Wrenbury
Wrenbury is a village in the civil parish of Wrenbury cum Frith, the unitary authority of Cheshire East, and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England...
. A notable carving of a dog whipper removing a dog with his whip can be seen in the Great Church of St. Bavo
Sint-Bavokerk
The Grote Kerk or St.-Bavokerk is a Protestant church and former Catholic cathedral located on the central market square in the Dutch city of Haarlem...
in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
.
With the advent of animal shelters, this job became obsolete.
External links
- Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
- Birchington-on-Sea's Dog Acre
- Dog Whipper's Flat at Exeter Cathedral
- Dogs and Dog Whippers in the Peak District
- Carving of a Dog Whipper in Haarlem's Great Church of St. Bavo
- Whipper's Pew in Wrenbury, Cheshire
- Barwick-in-Elmet Parish Accounts Book 1745-46
- Smarden Church (Kent Archeological Society)