cutwithy

1) An attachment to the front end of the plough beam.

The precise meaning was discussed by Canon Atkinson who considered that it helped to control the amount of land cut by the coulter. Originally it was probably a withy but was later made of iron, possibly a chain: 1485 j cutwythy iiijd, Clotherholme

1552 ij yockes, ij iron teames, one harrow and one cutwethy of iron, Ledsham

1624 stealing two yron cutwithies, Helmsley. References to a pair of cutwithies is not unusual: 1565 ij coulters, ij paire cutwydyes, j horse draughte, Knaresborough

1587 a shakle, a coulter ... 3 peire of cutwithes with all other iron stuff, South Cave.

dates 1485 1552 1565 1587 1624

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