Butchery of horse and dog at Witney Palace,Oxfordshire, and the knackering and feeding of meat to hounds during the post-medieval period

Abstract

Upper levels of deposition associated with Witney manorhouse have yielded dense aggregations of bones which were mainly of horses and dogs. Probably these animals were butchered for their meat and skins. Possibly beginning in the medieval period, the practice reached a peak during the 18th century as occupation of the ruinous large house ceased. Archaeological and historical arguments point to the bones having little connection with normal household consumption of human food and show that horse meat was fed to hunting dogs at kennels kept by wealthy landowners and later to pets of people of various social status.