Animal pound

An animal pound was a place where stray livestock such as pigs are impounded in a dedicated enclosure until claimed by their owners or sold to cover the costs of impounding.

Etymology

The terms "pinfold" and "pound" are Saxon in origin. "Pundfald" and "pund" both mean an enclosure. There appears to be no difference between a pinfold and a village pound. The term pinfold seems to be more popular in the north and east of England, whilst in the south and west the term pound is more popular.

Village pound or pinfold

The Village pound was a feature of most English medieval villages, and they were also found in the English colonies of North America.

A high-walled and lockable structure served several purposes; the most common use was to hold stray sheep, pigs and cattle until they were claimed by the owners, usually for the payment of a fine or levy. The pound could be as small as 225 square feet (20.9 m²) or as big as half an acre and may be circular or square. Early pounds had just briar hedges, but most were built in stone or brick, making them more stock-proof. The size and shape of village pounds varies, some are four sided: rectangular, square and irregular, others are circular. In size they vary from a few square metres to over 0.5 ha. Pounds are known to date from the medieval period. By the 16th century most villages and townships would have had a pound. Most of what remains today would date from the 16th and 17th centuries. Some, like Tockholes Pinfold in Lancashire, are listed buildings, but most have fallen into disrepair. Another well preserved pound can be found in Northfield, Birmingham. Alfrick Pound is a village in Worcestershire with a well preserved village pound. As the pound in Totteridge Village London. There are also examples in other countries. "There was hardly a town in eighteenth-century New England without its town pound..."