cast iron English pot

This is a cast iron English pot, sometimes called a gypsy pot.

It's called an English pot because this particular pot design came from England.

I don't know why it's sometimes called a gypsy pot. I'm guessing because traveling Gypsies needed something to cook in, so they used these pots.

"Gypsy pot" also refers to a spanish dish; You can find sample recipes here and here.

They have feet, so they could have possibly been used over coals, but they were primarily used in the fireplace, or on a wood stove.

Before there was running water, these pots were used for laundry, heating water, and cooking. Every household had at least one.

It was common to boil meats in these pots, and that's where English boiled dinner came from.

They came in 16 sizes, ranging from 1/2 gallon to 25 gallons.

Today they're mostly used as planters.

Sometimes South African potjies are mistakenly called English pots. They're very similar looking, but not quite the same.

Potjies have longer legs and are used outdoors, over coals; English pots have short legs and were primarily used in a fireplace, or on a wood stove.