Gallows Hill

Lancaster

Lancaster was known as The Hanging Town. Hundreds of people were hung there over the centuries. Some for just the most menial of crimes.

Some were lucky enough to have the quick death where they were turned off the ladder and their neck was instantly snapped! Other had the slow death,

like the Pendle Witches. It was a more gentle drop where they would hang slowly strangling while the crowds watched with glee. Other were cut down

before they were dead, were disemboweled and had there intestines burnt before their eyes, their heads were then chopped off, boiled in oil and mounted

on the castle walls. The latter would have had pieces of their body sent to different parts of the country as warnings to others.

6000 would come into Lancaster for a hanging bringing food and drink with them for a picnic making a great day out for the family!!!

The root taken to Gallows Hill from Lancaster Castle would most likely have been via a believed secret tunnel linking The Red Lion Inn ( called today The

Three Mariners) to the Castle. The accused would be allowed to have a last drink there with family and friends before being loaded onto a cart, seated on

top of their own coffin and conveyed up Bridge Lane, through to Moor Lane taking them out of the town onto the Moors where the gallows lay.

Below is a list of some of those unfortunate people. From 1800 onwards Hangings were carried out inside Lancaster Castle which remains a prison up to

this day.

This is by no means everyone that was hung here but as i find more I will add them.

When passing this place remember a small prayer for all these unfortunate people.

Gallows Hill

1597 Edward Hartley Witchcraft.......................................................................................... 1597

1604 Lawrence Baily For aiding a priest............................................................................. 1604

1616 Roger Wrennall ..........................................................................................................1616

1628 Edmund Arrowsmith A Jesuit Missionary................................................................... 28^th Aug 1628

Richard Hurst ..................................................................................................................... 29^th “ “

1641 Ambrose Barlow (Saint) ............................................................................................10 Sep 1641

He carried a wooden cross in his hands which he had made. When he was taken off the hurdle at the gallows he circled it 3 times holding the cross at his breast and reciting the Penitent Psalm Miserere. He was then hanged, disembowelled, quartered and boiled in oil. His head was then exposed on a pike.

1646 John Woodcock Franciscan Missionary................................................................... 7^th Aug 1646

Thomas Whittaker ............................................................................................................. " " "

Edward Bamber................................................................................................................. " " "

Hangings that took place at Gallows Hill between 1737-1799

From 1800 onwards all hangings then took place at Lancaster Caster.

Assize’s took place twice a year at Lent and Summer

Date           Name                          Crime                       Date of Hanging

1737              Andrew Biery                        Counterfeiting                                1737

1739              JamesFazakeiley                    -                                  April 1739

                     Samuel Tomllinson                Theft                                             Sept 1739

1741              James Hanson                      Burglary                                        Aug 1741

1742              John Croskell                        Horse Theft                                   1742

                     Lawrence Briercliffe               Murder of John Hind                      1742

1750             Christopher Jameson             Murder of William Goodshaw          1750

1754             John Thompson                     Horse Theft                                    30^th Mar 1754

                    John Wilson                          Horse theft                                      "        "         "

1756             Abraham Healey snr              Counterfeiting                                 3^rd April 1756

                    Abraham Healey jnr                          "                                                                                                                                                       "     "       "

                    Joseph Woolstencroft            Sent threatening letter                       "     "       "

                    William Freeman                    Highway Robbery                            Sept 1756

1758             William Harrison                    Murder of Margaret Watson             14^th Aug 1758

                    John Greenwood                   Stealing in Warehouse                     Sept 1758

1762             Alice Ridley                          Murdered her bastard Male Child      26^th March

                    William Doodson                   Rape of Elizabeth Kighly                  3^rd April 1762

1764            John Nelson                          Stole in Dwelling House          7^th April 1764

1765            James Howorth                      Murder of Alice Cowper                    13^th April 1765

                   Thomas Wilkinson                  Highway Robbery                             20^th April 1765

1766            William Whittle                       Murder of his Wife Alice                   5^th April 1766

1770            Patrick Pearson                     Highway Robbery                             22^nd Sept 1770

                   Thomas Dunwoody                 Highway Robbery                             22^nd Sept 1770

1771             John Lewis                           Murder of his Daughter Ann              17^th Aug 1771

1772            Mary Hilton                            Murder of her Husband John

                                                                by poison. Burnt at Stake.                 6^th April 1772

1773            Robert Grocer                       Burglary                                            28^th Aug 1773

1777            John Ratchley                       Rape of Mary Sutherland                   30^th Aug 1777

1782            John David Hunt                   Forgery                       20^th April 1782

1784            John Toms                           Murder of Edward Wilshaw                 29^th Mar 1784

                   Henry Keys                           Highway Robbery                              7^th Apr 1784

                   John Dug dale                            "            "                           "     "      "

1785            Charles Looney                    Stole from Liverpool Exchange           23 Apr 1785

1786            Charles Adley                       Possession of coining implement        13^th May 1786

                   William Rice                          Horse Theft                                       16^th Sept 1786

                   John Gray                             Possession of coining imple.               16^th Sept 1786

                   James Jones Burglary                      “                "                 "

                   Ralph Morris                                    “                “             "

1787           John Jones                             At Large                                            21^st Apr 1787

                  James Tyrie                              “    “             "

                  William Pemberton                  Horse Theft                                       21^st Apr 1787

                  Thomas Coalpitts                       “         “                                                "

                  Thomas Smith                         Highwat Robbery                                     “

                  James Wainwright                     “               “                                  "

1788          Patrick Burne                          Robbery in Dwelling House                 31^st Mar 1788

                 John Silvester Dawling                   “                  “                           "

1789          Christopher Hartley                 Murder of Hannah Corbridge               28^th Aug 1789

                 William Hodgson                     House Breaking                                  5^th Sept 1789

1790         Nathan Mather                         Burglery                                             3^rd Apr 1790

                 John Martin                             Highway Robbery                                    “         "

                 James McNamara                    Burglery                                            11^th Sep 1790

1791         Thomas Barrow                        Horse Theft                                       16^th Apr 1791

                 William Maddocks                    Burglary                                                    “

                Robert Davies                           Horse Theft                                       1st Oct 1791

                Charles Williamson                    Burglary    "

1792         Robert Pilkington                      MurderStephanYates                         17^th Mar1792

                Thomas Flemming                     Highway Robbery                              7^th Apr 1792

                Thomas Easthope                      Stole Letters                                               “

                James Thompson                      Horse Theft                                      15^th Sep 1792

1793         Charles Burton                          Forgery                                            30^th Mar 1793

                Joseph Charles                         Rape of Sarah Norcott                       4^th Apr 1793

                Edward Miles                             Robbed Mail Coach                          14^th Sep 1793

                   ( Edward Miles was hanged at Gallow Hill then his body was

                hung in chains near     The Tystern,Manchester Road, Warrington)

1795       John Reynolds                             Coining                                           11^th Apr 1795

              Erasmus Hinley                            Coining                                                    “

              Thomas Case                               Colouring Coins                              12^th Sep 1795

1796       James Berry                                 Forgery                                           16^th Apr 1796

              John Hewitt                                  Horse Theft                                    “

1797        Samuel Longworth                      Murder of William Horrocks                3^rd Apr 1797

1798        John Eccles                                Stole from Bleachcroft                       8^th Sep 1798

               Henry Clarke                               Highway Robbery                             “

               George Russell                           Stole from Bleachcroft                       15^th Sep 1798

1799         John McFullin                                   “               “                            27^th Apr 1799

                James Case                               Forgery                                                     “

                John Guest                                Stole from Drying House                            “

Anne Redfearn and Chattox -Two of the Pendle Witches