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Washing bats, 19th century
Washing bats (golchbren) were used when washing clothes in a river or stream. The clothes were placed on a stone or rock and beaten clean with a wooden bat.
An early reference to golchbren is found in the Laws of Hywel Dda, and references are also found in 17th and 18th century Welsh texts. They were carved with a plain face with bevels on both edges at the back of the blade, or with a cross-ribbed face which could also act as a rubbing board.
Item reference: : GTJ31071
