Later that day, however, while being shaved at the barbers shop in Kirkby he saw the wanted poster, which was being shown around by the constable. The earliest standing fabric of the Castle is found in the Norman Keep, built in about 1150. The Castle As A Prison. By the time it was over thirty seven of those accused had been sentenced to death, although only eleven of those sentences were actually carried out. In 1166 the first assizes courtwas recorded and in 1196 therewas the first written reference to a gaol. On Monday August 21st 1826 two brothers, Alexander and Michael McKean went to the gallows in Lancaster for the murder of Elizabeth Bate. 1787. On March 25th 1865 Stephen Burke was hanged for the murder of his wife, this was the last public execution at the Castle. . [52], Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poetical illustration Lancaster Castle., to a picture by Thomas Allom showing the Shire Hall and the Priory, was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1837.[54]. And the Jolly Carter became prosperous. The talk takes place on May 27 from 12-1pm and admission is 4 including tea/coffee. However, Alexander managed to get free of his captors and tried to make a run for it. [23] Some Quakers, including in 1660 George Fox, were held at the castle for being politically dangerous. Lancaster Castle is still used today as a Crown Court. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. The gaol was re-opened by the Home Office in 1955. He became a regular visitor, selling tea, silks and cotton to the proprietor. (Image: Manchester Evening News) The castle also served as a prison from the 17th century, housing prisoners up to the year 2011. People couldnow be convicted for making covenant with an evil spirit, using a corpse for magic, hurting life or limb, procuring love or injuring cattle by means of charms. They were seen open at 12:30, partially closed at 1:45 and completely shut at 2pm. A more serious class of convict started to be housed at Lancaster in Georgian times felons. From 1833 to 1862 Captain James Hansbrow was Governor of the Castle, and he frequently received letters addressed to debtors, c/o Hansbrows Hotel- giving us a clue about the conditions that existed with the building, for some of the inmates at least. After the Peterloo Massacre Henry Hunt and Samuel Bamford were imprisoned, far away from Manchester, a hot bed of radical reform ideas. McKean realised that the boy had seen it all and attempted to smother him but Betty had somehow found the strength to get to her feet and she distracted McKean long enough to allow William to escape. Forensic science did not exist, and in many cases eye-witness testimony or the most circumstantial of evidence was enough to secure a conviction. In July 2010 the Ministry of Justice announced it was intending to close it, stating it was outdated and costly. England. It seems that at no time did any of them try to hide, or disguise who they were. 1788 saw a new Gaolers House constructed between the Gatehouse and the Well Tower and this still stands. A rule of total silence was strictly enforced and the spaces on the wheel were partitioned to frustrate communication between the prisoners. Lancaster was once again designated for use as a prison from 1954 onwards when the council leased the castle to the Home Office. His efforts to instigate reform led to prisoners in gaols throughout the country being separated by gender and category of their crime. Firstly, how culpable was Michael in the crime, and secondly, what was the true motive behind the slaying of Elizabeth Bate? The money was all gone from the bedroom, where they also found a bloodstained cleaver from the kitchen. This is the story of a tradesman incarcerated for insolvency. In addition to its role as a fortress and a prison, the castle has also been used as a court and an execution site. Often they were mixed in with other categories of prisoners and overcrowding began to be a real problem. Though the region was generally peaceful, the Scots invaded in 1322 and 1389, reaching Lancaster and damaging the castle. [37], To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the trials of the Pendle witches, a new long-distance walking route called the Lancashire Witches Walk has been created. [52] In his book The Historic Lands of England, Sir Bernard Burke suggests the wall may have been visible in more places 100 years prior to his writing in 1849. Like most Norman keeps, Lancaster's would have been entered at first floor level. It was agreed that after Stephen died, he would be succeeded by Henry Plantagenet (later King HenryII), Matilda's son. It was, according to the reports published at the time, the cause of intense interest in the town, and the courtroom was packed. If it was Roger who began construction, the structure would have been built of timber, probably incorporating the earthworks of the Roman fort into its defences. 213 people Between 1800 and 1865, a total of 213 people were executed at Lancaster Castle Six men were hanged in private between 1875 and 1910. Who was the last person to hang in England? [17] Since then, the castle has remained in the ownership of the Crown. Since being established by the Romans the castle has been a home to monarchs, a place of trial and execution, and a working prison right up until 2012. [9] The war came to an end in 1153. . Far from accompanying his brother up the stairs as she had assumed, he seemed to be waiting at the bottom, almost as if on guard. He described Margaret Marsden as an ancient lady, long in the family and Hannah Partington as a beautiful young girl. He also pointed out that while no trace of blood had been found on any of the mens clothing, amounts of cash reportedly stolen from the house had been discovered in their possession. [30] The prison closed in 1916 due to a national decrease in the number of prisoners, although for part of the First World War it held German civilians and military prisoners of war. The claims centred initially around Alizon Device, who was accused of causing a stroke to a pedlar when he refused to give her pins. The case centred on accusations and counter-accusations . [19] County gaols, such as this one, were intended to hold prisoners for short periods immediately before trial. If the intention had been robbery then why go to the extreme of killing Betty Bate at all? . This is the story of a tradesman incarcerated for insolvency. He noted that spinning and knitting were being carried out by those detained. When he searched them he was horrified to discover a pistol, powder and bullets and a penknife which seemed to be stained with blood. He had no problem at all in identifying Alexander as the man who had murdered Betty. Lancaster Castle is a fantastic museum to explore. Quakerism was founded by George Fox who first visited Lancashire in 1652 and subsequently made Swarthmoor Hall (the home of Judge Fell), near Ulverston, the headquarters of the Religious Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers. Looking at the drawings made at the trial, the scars left by the attack were still clearly visible on the left side of her face. Clearly visible, in profile, were the outline and features of a womans face. Get all the latest updates from Lancaster Castle. Justice was swift at the start of the nineteenth century. Find out more Executions Until 1800, condemned criminals at Lancaster were executed at a place called Gallows Hill, on the moors close to Williamson Park A small Parliamentarian force captured the castle in February 1643, established a garrison and set about building earthworks around the approaches to the town. The Shire Hall is currently not accessible for tours while work is undertaken to upgrade the Fire Alarm. The law as it stood in 1826 was very clear on the first of these two points: if the brothers intention had been to murder Elizabeth Bate it did not matter that Michael was not present in the time it was committed. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. Lancaster Castle - UK Museums The events at the house that spring Saturday were gradually pieced together by other evidence. The castle has around a thousand years of rich history. Our guided tours unlock the fascinating, and often macabre, heritage of this imposing and historically significant monument. [18], After the Scottish invasion of 1389, Lancaster saw no further military action until the English Civil War. The Shire Hall, Lancaster Castle - The Crime & Punishment Collections The landlord of the Jolly Carter was Mr Joseph Blears, who ran the establishment with his wife Martha. The form of the original castle is unknown. They enjoyed considerably more freedom than the felons, being able to use the courtyard in good weather or stay in their rooms if they so chose. This is partly due to its former use as a prison, which has prevented extensive archaeological investigation. Faraday knocked him down but Michael realised what was happening and attacked Faraday with a stick. On hearing her voice William Higgins chased after her and together they roused the neighbourhood. [1][2] Little is known about Lancaster between the end of the Roman occupation of England in the early 5thcentury and the Norman Conquest in the late 11th century. After 1800 the executions at Lancaster Castle took place at Hanging Corner, in an angle between the tower and the wall on the east side of the terrace steps. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. Their rooms were searched, and cash was found, but although Nadin searched for any bloodied clothing, and pressed the men to disclose where such garments might be, none was ever found beyond a handkerchief with some blood on it, lying beneath David Ashcrofts bed. William heard her tell Alexander to be quiet-have done-let me alone. The boy assumed that Alexander wanted a kiss and thought nothing of it until he realised that Betty had a knife at her throat. The Castle Courtyard opened to the public seven days a week in May 2013 and now has a cafe, NICE @ The Castle and regular events now take place every month. The Lancaster Martyrs: During this period of history fifteen Catholics were executed in Lancaster for their faith. England. Women and men in poor health often never left at all since the County did not transport those thought unable to support the rigours of the voyage or unlikely to find employment at its destination. At no time did their demeanour suggest that they had recently, and savagely, murdered anyone. On Wednesday 26th April, the tours will consist of the courtyards only as A-Wing is being used for a private event. However, all four of the men accused vociferously pleaded their innocence from the moment of their arrest, during their trial, and even onto the scaffold itself. The castle became a prison in 1196, and still houses male prisoners to this day, although of course, the guided tour does not take you in to the parts of the building which are still a working prison, which is a shame as some of the most . By now it was approaching 8pm. The foiled scheme would mean that Nowell, a former High Sheriff of Lancashire, would have security very much on his mind. The tower was, however, built in the early 13th century, probably during the reign of King John. A History of Lancaster - Local Histories A survey in 1578 led to repairs to the keep costing 235. Orders were given that "all the walls about [Lancaster Castle] should be thrown down". To see most of the interior of the buildings you need to take a guided tour, but it is free to enter the courtyard. They could buy newspapers, food and clothing, follow their trades or professions, and have visitors from 8 am to 8 pm. There was a plethora of eye-witness testimony that placed them firmly at the scene of the crime, and they were in possession of an unusually large amount of cash when they were apprehended. These were a group ofprisoners that were not going to be flogged, branded, killed, transported or sent to a house of correction. The Gaol at Lancaster Castle | Lancaster Castle Owned by the serving monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II, through the Duchy of Lancaster, Lancaster Castle is a wealth of English history. George Fox was summoned to the Lancaster Assizes on a number of occasions, the most famous of which was in September 1664 when he refused to take the oath and was remanded in custody until the next Assizes. He offered him a drink, saying that it was a hot day and that he looked tired. The Castle has a small collection of around 500 historic objects, fixtures and fittings which are predominantly on display in the Shire Hall complex. [18] The instruction was not followed, and in August 1648 the town withstood a siege from the Royalist Duke of Hamilton who led an army south from Scotland. When the Anarchy erupted in 1139 a civil war between Stephen and Empress Matilda for the English throne the area was in turmoil. Michael described how, a little later, Bleares had drunkenly attacked some other customers when they refused to pay for their ale, shouting that he could take on three such men and still beat then all. Women and men would spend 10 hour days working them in teams of four. This, coupled with the fact that in 1604 the Witchcraft Act of Parliament had been passed under King James, meant that the accused were ina very serious trouble. Thomas Holden sentenced to 7 years Transportation to Australia for 'Administering An Illegal Oath' to Isaac Crompton. Catholicpriestswere seen as spies and insurgents and believed to be encouraging rebellion against the Protestant monarchs. Who Was The Last Person Hanged At Lancaster Castle? Borstal Prison, later Borstal Institution (Young Offenders) Canterbury, County Gaol 1808 Chatham Convict Prison 1853 Maidstone, County Gaol 1817 Rochester Convict Prison, now a Prison for Women 1873 Lancashire Lancaster Castle 17 th C; Liverpool City Gaol 1854 Manchester, County Gaol 1869 Preston, County Gaol 1799 Strangeways (Manchester) Prison This probably referred to what is now known as Adrian's Tower. During the summer, male and female prisoners sentenced to hard labour on the treadwheel had to work 10 hours per day at a rate of 96 steps per minute. [22] After the slighting of the castle, including the demolition of the Well Tower, it was militarily redundant. When Michael spoke it was to reiterate what Alexander had said. When he reached the public house at Coupland Beck, three miles from Appleby, he found that there were no men present in the pub and so he alerted two stone-breakers who were working on the road nearby to assist him. Under his auspices, the Gaoler's House was built in 1788 in a Gothic style. Hundreds of people died under this roof . Famous prisoners included Father Edmund Arrowsmith who was a Roman Catholic priest who said Mass in the Brindle area between Blackburn and Preston. Two tread wheels were used as punishment for prisoners sentenced to hard labour in mid 1800s. With breathtaking speed, a person could stand trial, be convicted, and within forty-eight hours be in their grave. [16] A further devastation of the town, as had been inflicted in 1389, would have been an embarrassment for the new king; his expensive programme of building at the castle helped protect against this. Minus her cap and bleeding heavily, the knife still embedded in her face, she ran from the house and staggered the sixty yards to the home of Mary Andrews, her niece. The castle has a long judicial history. [35] Closure of the prison will eventually allow the castle to be opened to visitors and tourists as a permanent attraction. The events that brought the two men to trial and execution took place at the Jolly Carter public house on the evening of May 22nd 1826. Notwithstanding this, he again made it clear that it was the act itself they had to judge: a reason for it was not necessary for a verdict to be reached. The spot chosen became known as Hanging Corner. A Dark History | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle Martha Bleares, who was described as nearly fifty years of age and rather lusty, was clearly in a terrible state. It seems that things had begun to go wrong for the McKeans prior to the murder and they were described at their trial as being much reduced in circumstances at the time it took place. BBC - History of the tours and trials at Lancaster Castle When Mr Littlewood returned home soon after it was to find that something was obviously amiss. Lancaster Castle has served as a prison since the 12th century. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. People & Stories | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle BBC - Lancashire - Tours and trials at Lancaster Castle [7], Roger de Poitou fled England in 1102 after participating in a failed rebellion against the new king, HenryI. In the event of an assault, the keep formed the last line of defence. [10], The main entrance is through a 20-metre-high (66ft) gatehouse built at the start of the 15th century. He had stared so hard at her that she ran away. Also missing were items of clothing and some plate. For most of its history, it was used as a prison and the castle gave Lancaster the nickname of "The Hanging Town". [53] However, it is unclear where the wall would have been. [47] The medieval hall stood south-west of the keep and was dismantled in 1796 during the remodelling of the castle. In the early 18th Century there were still a number of Quakers held for non-payment of tythes. This is the story of a tradesman incarcerated for insolvency. John Nuttal and Henry Schofield had been hanged on 6th September, and there would be five more executions on the 20th. The pub was at Winton, a small village on the road to Manchester, just outside Patricroft Bridge. James jnr and William Holden were seen later in the day in Hanover Street in Manchester betting large amounts (5 shillings a throw) on the toss of a coin. There is a macabre postscript to this story. The Shire Hall is currently not accessible for tours while work is undertaken to upgrade the Fire Alarm. Murder Trials | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle The Lancaster Martyrs: During this period of history fifteen Catholics were executed in Lancaster for their faith. The Branding Iron was last used in 1811. In the 18thcentury it became more common for county gaols to hold longer-term prisoners; as a result they began to suffer from overcrowding. These could be used to provide power for calico weaving looms and to draw up water from the castle wells. The History of Lancaster Todays title of Justice of the Peace dates back to 1361, to the reign of Edward III, and JPs still retain and use some of the powers conferred on them at that time to bind over unruly persons to be of good behaviour. Other infamous inmates included serial killer Frederick Bailey Deeming - suspected by some to be Jack the Ripper - and vicious gangster Squizzy Taylor. Guided tours of the Castle include visits to its 18th century cells, Pentonville-style male penitentiary, dedicated debtors' prison area and female penitentiary based on Bentham's famous panopticon design. It is uncertain when the keep was built, although it probably dates to the 12th century[9] when it was the residence for the lord of the castlethe owner or his representative. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. Visitors to Lancaster Castle are advised to check opening times by telephoning 01524 64998. [49] Two semi-octagonal towers flank a passageway protected by a portcullis. Alexander asked her whether her husband slept soundly when he got liquor, although why he should want to know this puzzled her. The gaolers received a set fee per mile for each prisoner, no matter how many convicts they took at a time, and could make a good profit by conveying prisoners in groups. He had little to add except by way of identification, but cross-examined by Mr Jones, Bleares was asked where he kept the strongboxes containing the money from the two clubs that met at the Jolly Carter. The Capital Punishment Amendment Act 1868 ended public executions, requiring that criminals be put to death in private, after which 6 executions were performed inside the castle, at first from the Chapel steps, then later in a purpose-built execution shed, on the inside wall of Hanging Corner. The motive was supposedly theft, as silverware, clothing and a great deal of cash was taken from the house at the same time. [52] The remaining Wery Wall measures 4m 3m 3m and consists of only rubble due to the facing stones having been reused elsewhere. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. Since the 12thcentury, the monarch appointed a sheriff to maintain the peace in Lancashire, a role usually filled by the duke and based at the castle. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. Finally, just before the trap fell they began to sing a hymn : Ill Praise My Maker While Ive Breath and when, some four minutes later all four men were dead, there was said to be scarcely a tearless eye among the crowd, while many of the women wept aloud, A passing reference in Cross-Fleurys Time-Honoured Lancaster tells of a death-bed confession by the real killer some twenty-six later, although it must be stressed that there is no corroboration for this, and that the book, while an immensely interesting and valuable source, is often reduced to anecdote and gossip for its content. Shortly after the murder it was noticed that the bloodstains on the clubroom floor, where Betty Bate had crawled to die, had dried into a distinct shape. On Wednesday 26th April, the tours will consist of the courtyards only as A-Wing is being used for a private event. Above the gate is a niche which would originally have contained a statue of a saint, flanked by a coat of arms of the kings of England. [26] The Shire Hall and Crown Court were complete by 1798. The buildings were surveyed and repair work estimated at 1,957. The Grim Lancaster Castle Of The Hanging Town - Procaffenation The Judge now asked Alexander if he wished to speak. However, when Henry Duke of Lancaster ascended the throne as King HenryIV in 1399, he almost immediately began adding the monumental gatehouse. The business was not prosperous, and Blears regretted taking having taken it on. Stephen secured his northern frontier by allowing DavidI of Scotland to occupy the Honour in 1141. Lancaster Castle has served as a prison since the 12th century. Counsel for the Crown, Mr Cross, opened proceedings by informing the jury that the evidence in this case would be largely circumstantial, but argued that it was no less compelling for that. Harrison had to divide his time between Lancaster and designing and building Chester Castle's Shire Hall and Courts; work at Lancaster slowed, partly because of dwindling funds due to war with France, and Harrison was released from the work as the Justices of the Peace felt it was taking too long. On Monday 28th April the prisoners were taken to the scene of the crime and forced to look at the corpses.
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