Wheels like this became indispensable items of kitchen machinery, not only in households wealthy enough to have the means to roast a large joint of meat on a regular basis, but also in inns and taverns.
The George Inn, a 14th-century pub in the village of Lacock, is home to a dog wheel, mounted on the wall adjacent to the open range. Situated in this way, the turnspit would have run in relentless and tantalising pursuit of the meat, roasting just beyond its field of vision.
The misery of these unfortunate dogs was so commonplace that they often figured in literature, including Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, as a symbol of the worst kind of servitude.
Turnspits - A lost breed of dog
By the end of the 18th century, developments in roasting technology rendered the use of dog wheels obsolete and the turnspit breed became extinct. So what did they look like?
The 18th-century engraver and natural historian Thomas Bewick described them as, 'generally long-bodied... [with] short crooked legs, its tail curled upon its back, and ... frequently spotted with black upon a blue-gray ground.... It is a bold, vigilant and spirited little Dog.'