lancaster castle famous prisoners lancaster castle famous prisoners

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. Based on a semi-circle, five tiers of cells could be surveyed from a central control room. In 1322 and 1389 the Scots invaded England, progressing as far as Lancaster and damaging the castle. Halwell asked Collins if Ashcroft had said anything to him about the murders, to which Collins replied that they were all as innocent as the child unborn. Cross-examined, Collins denied this. They were moved to the castle itself in an area that became known as hanging corner, near the churchyard. There is a macabre postscript to this story. 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. [15] For many castles, the expenditure is unknown. The fee included fire, candle, use of culinary utensils, and the services of a room-man who did the cooking, cleaning, and waiting-on. The events at the house that spring Saturday were gradually pieced together by other evidence. [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. 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. Alexander was a hawker for the business and he had first called on the Bleares a year before the events of May 1826. Contents show 1 Who was the last person hanged at Lancaster Castle? The talk takes place on May 27 from 12-1pm and admission is 4 including tea/coffee. With 1000 years of records, this is one of the world's oldest prison and longest-serving criminal court. On hearing her voice William Higgins chased after her and together they roused the neighbourhood. However the cells were used to hold German prisoners during the first world war. Alexander was named as the perpetrator of the bloody deed, and Michael was wanted for aiding and abetting him in the crime. Lancashire's High Sheriff and Justices of the Peace petitioned the king to repair the castle. The first one was installed in 1822. The fact that these men did no such thing left many people concerned that they had, in fact, been as innocent as they proclaimed themselves to be. The gatehouse Henry replaced was probably a simple structure, no more than a passage between two towers, but the rebuilt structure rivalled the keep as the strongest part of the castle. 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. It is well worth walking around the exterior (at any time) and also the interior courtyard (during opening times) to see the various remaining Medieval buildings and Georgian and Victorian prisons. They had, it was said, the ordinary appearance of decent journeymen tradesmen Both men pleaded not guilty to the charge. ", "New Phase of Works Starts at Lancaster Castle", "Place North West - Contractor picked for second phase of Lancaster Castle restoration", "Conservation Works to Continue Until September 2019", "Lancaster Castle to open for Jubilee and Witch trial anniversary", "Ancient Monuments: Part of a Roman fort and its associated vicus and remains of a pre-Conquest monastery and a Benedictine priory on Castle Hill (1020668)", "Scheduled Ancient Monument - Castle Hill and Vicarage Fields", "RADCLIFFE, Thomas (d.1403), of Winmarleigh and Astley, Lancs", Lancaster Castle official site from Lancashire County Council, Lancaster Castle official site from the Duchy of Lancaster, History of Lancaster Castle Prison from theprison.org.uk, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lancaster_Castle&oldid=1130728968, Buildings and structures in Lancaster, Lancashire, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 December 2022, at 17:46. The Pendle Witches were tried there in 1612, while other famous prisoners. The turnkey (prison officer) in charge of the wheelhouse was in full control and shouted out his orders each time the wheelhouse clock chimed the five-minute interval. It looked for a time as though the pair would not live long enough to see the gaol as the mood of the crowd had grown darker on seeing the two accused. And Joseph Bleares found himself, at last, the master of what was undoubtedly a going concern.. Orders were given that "all the walls about [Lancaster Castle] should be thrown down". It deals with trials of the more serious criminal offences, the sentencing of offenders committed for sentence by magistrates courts and appeals from lower courts. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. A new Crown Court and Shire Hall were also added in the same decade. With their help set a trap for the fugitives. England. Faraday went on ahead of the constable and spotted the McKeans trudging along the road to Appleby. The pub was at Winton, a small village on the road to Manchester, just outside Patricroft Bridge. 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. This would have been significant, as there was a belief at the time that a corpse would bleed anew at the touch of its killer. He obtained help from a local publican and auctioneer, a Mr Richard Faraday- described as a spirited individual- and together they set off in pursuit of the McKeans. Faraday had both men bound. Research Report 35/2016", "Atkinsons make a move into Lancaster Castle - North West FDMB", "Lancaster Castle Restored and Re-Opened! [40], The latest phase, started in September 2017 and completed in November 2019, has opened up the former prison kitchen yard. He was hung, drawn and quartered, and part of his body exposed on top of the John O Gaunt Gateway. His efforts to instigate reform led to prisoners in gaols throughout the country being separated by gender and category of their crime. Some time later Alexander McKean arrived and he too ordered beer as well as bread and cheese. This identified the convicted person as a malefactor or evil-doer.. 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. There were two beds in the room and the second was the one intended for the McKeans. [28], Those sentenced to death before c. 1800 at the castle were usually taken to Lancaster Moor, near where the Ashton Memorial now stands, to be hanged. The large internal courtyard is now accessible to the public, for the first time in decades. The landlord of the Jolly Carter was Mr Joseph Blears, who ran the establishment with his wife Martha. Betty had plainly put up a fight, but died as a result of the wound to her throat. Lancasters use of the treadwheels was almost unique as most prisons did not harness the energy in any useful way. There is no trace of a motte, so it may have been a ringwork[6] a circular defended enclosure. The earliest standing fabric of the Castle is found in the Norman Keep, built in about 1150. The Norman . Mr Bleares later testified that the local Friendly and Orange Societies used this room for their meetings: in fact he had the funds from both groups on the premises, with that of the Friendly Society being in the region of 30. The next witnesses all testified to having seen the accused after 4pm, and therefore after the murders must have taken place. In 1166 the first assizes courtwas recorded and in 1196 therewas the first written reference to a gaol. This is the story of a tradesman incarcerated for insolvency. The Shire Hall is currently not accessible for tours while work is undertaken to upgrade the Fire Alarm. Before the introduction of the Borstal System, children were regularly imprisoned alongside adult offenders. In his time boys from the local grammar school were given a half day holiday to attend executions, in the belief that witnessing such a horror would deter future criminality. He also made it clear that although James Ashcroft snr had never been inside the Littlewoods home he would, if found guilty, be just as culpable as the men who had actually committed the crime, and therefore as subject to the death penalty as they were. An inquest was held at the Jolly Carter at four oclock the next afternoon and a verdict of Wilful Murder was returned. Catholicpriestswere seen as spies and insurgents and believed to be encouraging rebellion against the Protestant monarchs. For over 50 years, the Prison Chaplain was Parson Rowley who is said to have attended 170 criminals to their execution. Lancaster Castle opens its gates to the public for the first time since the Middle Ages. It was all to no avail. . A survey in 1578 led to repairs to the keep costing 235. Over two hundred different crimes could lead to the death penalty, many for crimes against property and theft of items of relatively low value. Six years later much of the pomp had been lost - the High Sheriff arrived by train. Over the course of the next hour Bleares appears to have been plied with drink, Alexander at one point pouring his own whiskey into Bleares glass when his back was turned. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. The castle has been the scene of notable trials, hundreds of executions and has housed prisoners of various categories until as recently as 2011. When prisoners finished their 15-minute stint, they would climb down to sit on a stool, whilst the prisoner who had been resting took his place. 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. Open every day from 9.30 am- 5.00 pm. In 1195, Richard I commissioned certain knights to preserve the peace in unruly areas they were known as Keepers of the Peace. On the ground-floor of the tower is the Drop Room which contains relics of the many executions, and can be visited today on the guided tour. [10] The holdings of the Duchy of Lancaster extended beyond the county, and Lancaster was not especially important. This course takes an innovative approach to exploring history, focusing on Lancaster Castle as a microcosm of broader trends. A choice of 22 rooms was available, priced from 5s (25p) to 30s (1.50p). Due to a lack of investigation, there is little evidence to suggest additions to Lancaster in the mid-12thcentury. Lancaster Castle has served as a prison since the 12th century. It seems that at no time did any of them try to hide, or disguise who they were. It also addressed other matters that must still appear relevant to anyone who reads this case today. [36] In the meantime, while access to the keep, towers, battlements and dungeons is currently denied to visitors, the castle operates limited guided tours seven days a week. The blow glanced over her throat, whereupon Michael threw her to the floor and struck her again, the second time driving his knife deep into her face before rushing out of the pub. The men would die in two days time, on Monday 8th September. Her cry of murder was cut short as McKean cut her throat, but it was enough to rouse William. This was a particularly busy assize, with ninety-seven people up for trial. The Lancaster Martyrs: During this period of history fifteen Catholics were executed in Lancaster for their faith. The castle is still being used as the administrative offices . The castle was used as a prison ever since the late 12th century. They could buy newspapers, food and clothing, follow their trades or professions, and have visitors from 8 am to 8 pm. More damningly, James Ashcroft snr had allegedly confessed his guilt to a cellmate while in gaol in Manchester awaiting trial. [13] Lancaster was one such castle. [38][39], A large-scale refurbishment of the castle has been underway since 2011. The second world war saw the armed forces taking over the castle, and the Royal Observer Corps used it as a local control room. Nowells investigation led him into a series of claims and counterclaims of witchcraft between three local families. Mr and Mrs Littlewood, as was their custom, left early for their shop in Manchester, leaving the two servants alone in the house. An example of a typical case would be that of two boys aged 11 and 13 who in 1899 were convicted of causing wilful damage to a door by throwing mortar at it. This is the story of a tradesman incarcerated for insolvency. Why allow Martha Bleares to remain at liberty and with the potential to raise the alarmsomething she eventually was able to do? For example, the late 12th-century stone keep[14] at Peveril Castle in Derbyshire cost around 200, although something on a much larger scale, such as the vast Chteau Gaillard cost an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 and took several years to complete. [4], As there are no contemporary documents recording the foundation of the castle, it is uncertain when and by whom it was started, but it is supposed that Roger de Poitou, the Norman lord in control of the Honour of Lancaster, was responsible. The Castle As A Prison. Holden in particular was reluctant to do so, and press reports of the time were quick to conclude that he and Hannah had been lovers. Lancaster Castle is still used today as a Crown Court. He ran the business with his brother Michael, who was five years his junior. It has been involved in conflict - it was attacked by Robert Bruce and besieged by Royalists in the English Civil War on more than one occasion. . 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 Benthams famous panopticon design. The procession from the Castle would pass along Moor Lane and Moor Gate, and tradition has it that they stopped at the Golden Lion public house at the corner of Brewery Lane so that the condemned could take their last drink, accompanied by their friends and relatives. What was claimed to be a verbatim account by Farady of the capture of the McKeans was published in the Stockport Advertiser some ten days prior to the executions and, interestingly, a week before they even stood trial. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. What happened next was described in chilling detail at the trial by the boy, William Higgins, who was asleep in the room upstairs. It seems that both had their employers trust, for a considerable sum of money, some 160 was left in the house, in an unlocked drawer in an upstairs bedroom. Out of 200 executions at Lancaster Castle, only 43 were for murder; other crimes included burglary, passing forged notes, robbery and cattle-stealing. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. In response, the Royalists dispatched an army to retake Lancaster. The brothers were taken south to Lancaster, vilified en route by the small crowds who lined the route as it wound through Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale. He intimated that, had the victim been Joseph Bleares it might have made some kind of sense. It has been a place of justice and incarceration for centuries and still houses one of the oldest working crown courts in the country. The men arrested for the crimes seemed to have little defence. This refusal to admit guilt was viewed with horror in an age when the consensus of opinion was that a person about to go to God should have the grace to admit their guilt and beg forgiveness. The most famous case to be tried at Lancaster Castle was that of the Pendle Witches, 10 poor men and women from Pendle who were accused of witchcraft and executed in 1612 (an 11th accused witch was found not guilty and released). Hundreds of people died under this roof . [52] The remaining Wery Wall measures 4m 3m 3m and consists of only rubble due to the facing stones having been reused elsewhere. David made a dramatic plea to the court that the evidence against them had been falsified, that witnesses had lied and that he and the others were innocent. [10], For the next 150years, there is no record of building work, although accounts are incomplete. Mr Williams called a good number of witnesses, mostly to testify to the character of the men accused, or to place them well away from the scene of the crime, but a great many of the people called had criminal records themselves, and their evidence counted for very little. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. The tower was, however, built in the early 13th century, probably during the reign of King John. Hunted men now, their details posted for miles around and with a price on their heads, the McKeans were on the run. At the August assizes in Lancaster in 1835 just fourteen prisoners were tried and nine causes were entered in the civil court - the church bells rang a "muffled peal" (Lancaster Gazette, 15 August 1835). 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. [20] The notorious Pendle witches trial took place at Lancaster Castle in 1612. Until 2011 it was a fully functioning HM Prison and was also Europe's longest-serving prison. It was the practice of the gaoler to raise the convicted persons hand to show the judge that a fair mark had been made. On the evening of Monday May 22nd 1826, between five and six oclock, a stranger entered the Jolly Carter and asked for a glass of beer. 6 reviews of Lancaster Castle "True tales of witchcraft, murder, madness and 'justice' await you within the wall of the UK's oldest working prison. England. Before the Jury retired to consider the verdict Mr Justice Park summed up. George and Elizabeth Youngson were Lancaster's youngest convict transportees to Australia, for the crime of theft. Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle and former prison in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. 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 In the bedroom they found more blood but also a black leather stock which was later identified as belonging to Alexander McKean. The infamous Australian outlaw Ned Kelly - occupier of cell 113 - was convicted of murder and executed by hanging here in November 1880. On Monday 28th April the prisoners were taken to the scene of the crime and forced to look at the corpses. When new gaoler John Higgin started in 1785 he received an annual salary of 200 guineas , in compensation for being no longer allowed to collect fees from debtors (as part of John Howards reforms). In 1164 the Honour of Lancaster, including the castle, came under royal control. 3 Can you go inside Lancaster Castle? It is generally thought that Lancaster Castle was founded in the 1090s on the site of the Roman fort in a strategic location. The last of these prisoners to die here was John Haydock in 1720. After the English Civil War, most of the gatehouse rooms were filled with debtors. [2] The castle is the oldest standing building in Lancaster and one of the most important. [32], The castle formally opened as HM Prison Lancaster in 1955, becoming a Category C prison for male inmates, and a venue for the Crown Court. Between 1583 and 1646 eleven priests and four catholic laymen were sentenced andkilled at Lancaster, perhaps the most famous amongst them being Edward Arrowsmith. 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 Alexander and Michael were well known in Manchester and must have realised that it was impossible for them to remain in the area. RM B860TG - Lancaster Castle John O Gaunt Gateway Lancaster England UK. Joseph Bleares returned home at eight oclock and Alexander immediately called him into the bar and ordered two noggins of whiskey, which they drank together.