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Hanging in Chains.

HE gruesome subject of "hanging in chains" has recently been treated of by Mr. Albert Harthorne, F.S.A., before the Royal Archæological Institute, as stated in the last issue of the Antiquary, so no excuse is necessary for putting on record the following

facts relative to its more recent use in the North and Midlands.

In the churchyard of Kirk Merrington, co. Durham, a gravestone commemorates the murder of three children by a farm servant. The fact is thus recorded in the parish register: “1682 [3] Jan. 13, John Brasse, Jane Brasse, and Elizabeth Brasse, the son and daughters of John Brasse, of Ferry-hill, murdered in their father's house by one Andrew Mills, and were all three buryed the xxvi. day of January."

The murderer, Andrew Mills, was executed and hung in chains within view of the site of his crime. It is said that the man did the deed in a moment of mental derangement. The tradition is that he lived for several days on the gibbet, and that a girl, his sweetheart, brought him milk every day, and fed him through the iron cage to which he was bound. Tradition further sayeth that his tortures were thus spun out, and that his cries were heartrending. The gibbet remained for many years, and was known locally as "Andrew Mill's Stob." It was supposed to have the power of curing ague, toothache, etc., and was thus gradually

taken away.

On Elsdon Moor, the gibbet known as "Winter's Gibbet" is still standing. This is the site of the hanging in chains of a man named Winter, who, in 1791, barbarously murdered an old woman named Margaret Crosier at the Pele Raw, near Elsdon. The gibbet is on the highest part of the moor, a mile or two south of Elsdon, near the site of an ancient cross, of which the base still remains, called "Sleng Cross." From the gibbet a wooden head is dangling, and a horrible sound the creaking chain has, when the wind is whistling across the waste. This wooden head took the place of the actual

head, which rotted away. In the parish register the murder is thus recorded:

"1791, Sept. the 1th, Margaret Crocer, of the Rawe, murther'd at Do."

And the following:

"Elsdon, September 1st, 1791. At a vestry meeting, now held in consequence of a shocking and inhuman murder committed upon the Body of Margt. Crozer, of the Raw, in this parish, by certain persons known to lieved to have been the Perpetrator of the be vagrants and suspected persons, one beabove act, We the Minister, Overseers, Churchwardens, and principal Inhabitants do agree to appoint proper Persons, to go immediately to different districts within the County, in order to search for and apprehend the said suspicious persons (who were two women and one man travelling with a Dun Ass), and also provide that the persons in search shall be reimbursed all their necessary expenses by the Parish at large, and they do herewith proceed with all expedition to do the above business.”

Signed by "Richard Harrison" and twenty others.

It is said that the necessary link connecting Winter with the murder was established by a boy counting the nails in the man's boots, as the murderer and his companions were seated by a hedge-side.

The last instance in this neighbourhood occurred on Jarrow Hake about sixty years ago. A man named Jobling was executed and hung in chains, during the pitmen's strike, for the murder of Nicholas Fairles,

who, as a magistrate, was endeavouring to quell a riot. The "stob" or, gibbet-post, remained until the Tyne Dock was made a The irons are now in the few years ago.

possession of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle. The interest in this murder has

just been revived in that city by the death of a son of the murdered man, Mr. W. W. Fairles, aged about ninety.

ROBERT BLAIR, F.S.A.

The wretched practice of gibbeting or hanging in chains the body of the executed criminal near the site of the crime, with the intention of thereby deterring others from capital offences, was a coarse custom very generally prevalent in medieval England, and continuing down to almost modern

times. It was usual to saturate the body with tar before it was hung in chains, in order that it might last the longer. This was done with bodies of three highwaymen about the middle of last century, gibbeted on the top of the Chevin, near Belper, in Derbyshire. They had robbed the North Coach when it was changing horses at the inn at Hazelwood, just below the summit of the Chevin. After the bodies had been hanging there a few weeks, one of the friends of the criminals set fire, at night-time, to the big gibbet that bore all three. The father of our aged informant, and two or three others of the cottagers near by, seeing a glare of light, went up the hill, and there they saw the sickening spectacle of the three bodies blazing away in the darkness! So thoroughly did the tar aid this cremation, that the next morning only the links of the iron chain remained on the site of the gibbet.

The last person gibbeted at Derby was Matthew Cokayne, who was hung in 1776 for the murder of Mary Vicars, an old woman, resident in Tenant Street. The body was afterwards suspended in chains from a gibbet, which had to be erected on the open space nearest to the scene of the crime. The gibbet-post was consequently erected where the outbuildings of the infirmary now stand, between the London and

Osmaston Roads.

The last instance of gibbeting in the county of Derby took place at a much later date-namely, after the March Assizes, 1815. Anthony Lingard, aged 21, was convicted of the murder of Hannah Oliver, a widow woman, who kept the turnpike-gate at Wardlow Miers, in the parish of Tideswell. The Derby Mercury for Marcn 13, 1815, after giving an account of the crime, the trial, and the sentence, concludes with these words: 'Before the Judge left the town, he directed that the body of Lingard should be hung in chains in the most convenient place near the spot where the murder was committed, instead of being dissected and anatomized."

In Rodes' Peak Scenery, first published in 1818, mention is made of the gibbet of Anthony Lingard: "As we passed along the road to Tideswell, the little villages of Ward

low and Litton lay on our left... Here, at a little distance on the left of the road, we observed a man suspended on a gibbet, which was but newly erected." The vanity of the absurd idea of our forefathers, in thinking that a repulsive object of this kind would act as a deterrent of crime, was strikingly shown in the case of this Wardlow gibbet. It is related of Hannah Pecking, of Litton, who was hung on March 22, 1819, at the early age of sixteen, for poisoning Jane Grant, a young woman of the same village, that she "gave the poison in a sweet cake to her companion as they were going to fetch some cattle out of a field near to which stood the gibbet-post of Anthony Lingard."

The treasurer's accouts for Derbyshire, for 1815-16, show that the punishment of gibbeting involved a serious inroad on the county finances. The expenses for apprehending Anthony Lingard amounted to £31 5s. 5d.; but the expenses incurred in the gibbeting reached a total of £85 4s. Id., and this in addition to ten guineas charged by the gaoler for conveying the body from Derby to Wardlow.*

J. CHARLES Cox, LL.D., F.S.A.

A List of the Inventories of
Church Goods made temp.
Edward VI.

By WILLIAM PAGE, F.S.A.
(Continued from p. 169, vol. xxii.)

COUNTY OF DURHAM.

Guylde or Chauntry of our Lady in Seint Nicolas Church in Durham.

(Ex. Q. R., Anct. Misc. Ch. Gds., 15.) Chantry of Our Lady in the Chappell of Seynt Margaret in the Parish of Seynt Oswald in Durham.

(Ibid., P.)

Chantry of Saint James and Saint Andrew uppon the Bridge in the Parish of Saint Nycholas in Durham. (Ibid.,.)

* These Derbyshire notes are taken from a work not yet issued, entitled Three Centuries of Derbyshire Annals, which Messrs. Bemrose have in the press.

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Redmershall. Geyndon. Long Newton.

Stainton. Hartlepole.

Norton and Stocketon.

(Ibid., r.)

1. Chantry of Our Lady in the Parish of St. Oswald

in Durham.

2. Chantry of St. John the Baptist and Evangelist in St. Oswalds Church, Durham.

3. St. Nicholas, Durham.

4. Guild of Corpus Christi in St. Nicholas Parish in Durham.

5. Chantry of St. James in Nicholas Church in Durham.

(Ibid.,.)

1. Guild of St. Cuthbert in the Galilee in Cathedral Church.

2. Chantry of Our Lady in Houghton Parish Church. 3. Chantry of the Trinity in St. Nicholas Parish Church in Durham.

4. Chantry in Church of North Baily in Durham. 5. Chantry of Blessed Lady in Parish of Esington. 6. Chantry of Our Blessed Lady in Bishopwearmouth.

7. Chantry of Our Lady of Piersbrig in Gainsford. 8. Chantry of Our Lady in Esington Parish Church. 9. Chantry or Guild of St. Giles in Parish of St. Giles in Durham.

10. Chantry of All thappostelles in Parish Church o Esington.

11. Chantry of the xij Apostles in Barnard Castle in Parish of Gainsforth.

12. Chantries of St. Thomas and St. Katherine in Sedgfield.

13. Chantry of the Trinity in Gateshead.

14. Chantry of Our Lady in Gateshead Parish Church. 15. Chantry of St. John the Baptist and Evangelist in St. Nicholas Parish Church in Durham.

16. Chantry of St. John the Baptist and Evangelist in Gateshead Parish Church.

17. Chantry of St. Helen in Hartlepool Parish.

18. Chantry of St. Katherine in Houghton Parish Church.

19. Chantry of Jesus of Brancepath.

20. Chantry of Our Lady in Hartlepool Parish Church.

21. Hospital of St. John in Barnard Castle.

22. Chantry of Our Lady and St. Cuthbert in the Galilee of the Cathedral Church, Durham.

(Ibid.,.)

The Cathedral Church of Durham.

(Ibid.,.)

Chantries and chapels in the County of Durham: Our Ladie in the paryshe churche of Saint Margetts in Tresgate Duresme.

COUNTY OF DURHAM (continued). Saint John Baptyste and Saint John Evaungeliste in the paryshe churche of Saint Oswalles in Duresme. Our Ladie founded within the Churche of Saint Nycholas in Duresme.

Guilde of Corpus Christi in said churche.

Saint Jeames and Saint Andrewe upon the newe Brydge of Elvet.

Saint Jeames within the church of St. Nycholas in Duresme.

Our Ladie in the said churche.

St. John Baptyste and St. John Evaungelyste within the said churche.

The Trinitie within the said churche.

The Guilde of St. Cutberte within the Cathedrall churche of Duresme.

Saint Katheryn within the churche of Northebaylie in Duresme.

The Guilde of Saint Gyles.

The Ankerhouse within the paryshe of Chester in the Streate.

The Guilde of Sainte Hughe within the paryshe of Aukelande in the Chappell of Evenwood.

The Holie Trinitie in Gatysshed.

Our Ladie within the said Churche.

Saint John Baptyste and Saint John Evaungeliste within said churche.

Saint Edmonde in Gatysshed.

Our Ladie within the chapell of Barnardcastell.

St. Ellen in Barnerdscastell within the paryshe of Gaynesforthe.

Peerstbrygge in Gaynesforth.

Stocton in the paryshe of Norton.

Braunchepathe.

Saint Ellen in Hartyllpoole.

Our Ladie in Westherington in the parishe of Houghton.

Chaunterie or Guilde of Houghton.

Our Ladie in the parishe of Houghton.

Chaunterie callid Farneackers in Wyckeham.

Chappell of Huton in the paryshe of Huton.
The Colledge of Standroope.

Thospytall of Kepyer.

(Ld. R. R., Bdle. 457.)

Sums total for County.

(L. R. R., Bdle. 1392, Nos. 37 and 41.)

Hart.

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COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER (continued).
St. Jones.
St. Laurence.

St. Mary Porte.
St. Austens.
Christ Church.
St. Nicholas.

St. Stevens.
St. Ewins.
St. Werberons.
St. Peters.
Guivates (?).
St. Leonard.
The Temple.

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By REV. C. N. BARHAM.

OR many years the fishermen and dredgermen of Whitstable, while plying their calling in the neighbourhood of "Pudding-Pan Rock," have occasionally found in their dredges quantities of Roman earthenware, some of it entire, but the greater portion in a fragmentary state.

The question how it came there is a vexed one among antiquaries.

The traditional story is that a vessel, freighted with the ware, was, ages ago, wrecked on the "rock," and its contents dispersed by the waves.

now rolls, in Probably, where the sea Roman times, potteries-not less important than those which have been discovered at Upchurch Marshes-existed.

Antiquarian visitors to Whitstable twentyfive years ago, and earlier, reaped harvests of spoil, enriching their collections with valuable and choice specimens for a nominal outlay.

When the dredgermen first met with these "pudding-pans" is not known. For many years, although frequently found, they were regarded as being valueless, and were thrown overboard as rubbish, or, in Whitstable vernacular, "culch." Later, some of the men began to take the more perfect specimens home. But, even then, they were thought little of, and many a stunted geranium has drained into a Roman patera.

The time came, however, when dry-as-dust curiosity-hunters discovered the whereabouts of this "Tom Tiddler's" ground of Ceramic treasure. Then prices rose. Every fragment was hoarded, as misers hoard their gold.

Let it not be supposed that because the "pudding-pans" are scattered in the locality of the Rock, which has been named after them, that they were found daily and hourly. Often weeks and months passed without either vase, patera, or other vessel, or even a fragment of one, being met with. Then suddenly, by some freak of capricious fortune, vessel after vessel-lustrous, beautiful, and perfect-would be found in the dredges. Of course the whole was at once thrown on the market. For a few years boatmen did a thriving business, fleecing those who had formerly taken advantage of their rustic simplicity.

Deluded by strange stories of the abundance of the pottery, and the ease with which it was obtainable, bonâ-fide antiquarians, as well as the large class of collectors who pretend to have any intelligent craze, walked into the traps set by guileless long-shore

men.

Whitstable was invaded by an army hungering for Samian ware. Yawls were engaged by the day, even by the week, for trips to Pudding-Pan Rock. Here, when winds were favourable, dark-visaged, hook-nosed gentlemen, of the Hebrew persuasion, would sit, watching the bronzed dredgermen, careful that no cup or bowl should be thrown overboard. Sometimes, when nothing rewarded the anxious search, these men would themselves cast the dredge, in the vain hope that success would attend their efforts. They were learners in the school of experience; disappointment taught them wisdom. Giving up sea-going, they contented themselves

VOL. XXII.

ashore, waiting to purchase specimens of the dredgermen at the moment of their landing. Making a merit of necessity, they became pot-buyers instead of pot-hunters.

Prices having once risen, continued to maintain an upward tendency; notwithstanding fluctuations in other markets, they have never appreciably declined. "Pudding-pans are everywhere prized. Ceramic connoisseurs honour them with prominent positions in well-stocked cabinets. Curators of museums adorn their laden shelves therewith; even the Geological Museum invites savants to inspect Samian pateræ dredged out of oysterhaunted seas at Whitstable.

Many of the

I do not wonder at this. specimens are singularly chaste and delicate. They bear the potter's stamp; the incised patterns are sharp and clear, and the figures in relief are as perfect as when the ware left the grimy hands of the Roman workman fifteen centuries ago.

Although the recovery of entire, or only slightly damaged, specimens is not uncommon, storms and billows have played havoc with these relics of the past. It would be difficult to describe the ruin which has been wrought. Shattered fragments of graceful vases, lips and stems of incomparable cups, and marvellous pateræ, handles of amphore which never held the generous juice of the grape, portions of cinerary urns which were never sealed upon the ashes of any of the mighty dead, are brought to light, for no other purpose, apparently, but to make our science masters sigh. Nor is this all. Many specimens have been robbed of their lustrous glaze by abrasion. Some have holes worn in side or bottom by the friction from rolling sands, or by a pebble which has served as ocean's plaything.

Now let me write of that which I know, and testify of that which I have seen. Every man who has a "crockery fad" considers that his own pots and pans are better than those of his neighbours. I fear I am no exception to the rule.

My "pudding-pans" are ranged before me as I write these lines. On the centre shelf of my cabinet is a vase as perfect in form as the best productions of Etruscan workmanship. Its roseate glaze is dashed with flecks of white, bright and shining as enamel. If

Q

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