Stool of Repentance
Preserved but no longer current.
The cutty stool, a low stool placed in front of the pulpit in Scottish churches, on which persons who had incurred ecclesiastical censure were placed during divine service. When the service was over the penitent had to stand on the stool and receive the minister's rebuke.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Stool of Repentance” mean?
The cutty stool, a low stool placed in front of the pulpit in Scottish churches, on which persons who had incurred ecclesiastical censure were placed during divine service. When the service was over the penitent had to stand on the stool and receive the minister's rebuke.
Is “Stool of Repentance” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.