Turnspit Dogs: The Now Extinct Breed That Worked England's Kitchens episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 10, 2026 · 20 MIN

Turnspit Dogs: The Now Extinct Breed That Worked England's Kitchens

from Bygone Worlds: The Fascinating History of How We Used to Live · host Bygone Productions

English manor houses were capable of putting on fabulous dinners of delicious food without modern conveniences — the modern equivalent of producing a fine dining meal in the middle of the woods completely from scratch. No electric appliances. No gas range. No grocery stores. The only tool at their disposal was a huge fireplace. One member of the team had to roast whatever giant piece of meat would be served, rotating it continuously as it cooked for hours. In some kitchens, this job fell to a child. Eventually, it became common practice to employ a Turnspit Dog.

English manor houses were capable of putting on fabulous dinners of delicious food without modern conveniences — the modern equivalent of producing a fine dining meal in the middle of the woods completely from scratch. No electric appliances. No gas range. No grocery stores. The only tool at their disposal was a huge fireplace. One member of the team had to roast whatever giant piece of meat would be served, rotating it continuously as it cooked for hours. In some kitchens, this job fell to a...

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Turnspit Dogs: The Now Extinct Breed That Worked England's Kitchens

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This episode was published on April 10, 2026.

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English manor houses were capable of putting on fabulous dinners of delicious food without modern conveniences — the modern equivalent of producing a fine dining meal in the middle of the woods completely from scratch. No electric appliances. No gas...

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