On March 25th 1865 Stephen Burke was hanged for the murder of his wife, this was the last public execution at the Castle. On hearing her voice William Higgins chased after her and together they roused the neighbourhood. The castle has been the scene of notable trials, hundreds of executions and has housed prisoners of various categories until as recently as 2011. Hunted men now, their details posted for miles around and with a price on their heads, the McKeans were on the run. Open every day from 9.30 am- 5.00 pm. Lancashire's High Sheriff and Justices of the Peace petitioned the king to repair the castle. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. Lancaster Gaol housed one of the largest Debtor's prisons in Read more. In the late 1190s certain local knights were appointedKeepers of the Peace by the king. Owned by the serving monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II, through the Duchy of Lancaster, Lancaster Castle is a wealth of English history. 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. And yet the perpetrators of the crime would certainly have been stained quite severely, given the very nature of the murders. Convicted felons awaiting transportation were, in law, entitled to the Kings Allowance of 2s/6d a week, but few ever received it. 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. They could buy newspapers, food and clothing, follow their trades or professions, and have visitors from 8 am to 8 pm. 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. The scene inside the pub was one of carnage. Given this fact, Michaels crime was murder in the second degree, which carried the same penalty as Alexanders crime. 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 However, work on royal castles was often documented in Pipe Rolls, which began in 1155. Its latest incarnation was as HMP Lancaster, a Category C prison which was operational on this site right up until March 2011. BBC - Lancashire - History - Lancaster Castle Heraldry Archive | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle These could be used to provide power for calico weaving looms and to draw up water from the castle wells. The Shire Hall is currently not accessible for tours while work is undertaken to upgrade the Fire Alarm. Often they were mixed in with other categories of prisoners and overcrowding began to be a real problem. 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. 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. 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. When Was The Last Execution At Lancaster Castle? He intimated that, had the victim been Joseph Bleares it might have made some kind of sense. According to Faraday it was a little after ten oclock when the McKeans reached the public house. If there was no work on the castle, this may indicate that it was not important enough to warrant expenditure beyond upkeep, as Lancaster was not near a border. Although urged repeatedly to admit to the real reason behind his murder of Betty Bate Alexander refused to ever do so. Other infamous inmates included serial killer Frederick Bailey Deeming - suspected by some to be Jack the Ripper - and vicious gangster Squizzy Taylor. They were found guilty of witchcraft and hung. He thought it a little strange that they appeared so tired at such an early hour but, thinking that they had simply been travelling through the night, he gave it no more thought. This dual courts and prison function would continue right through the Medieval period up into the 21st century. 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. Are not the men here in safe custody and will not justice have its course with them? The castle was used as a prison ever since the late 12th century. In July 2010 the Ministry of Justice announced it was intending to close it, stating it was outdated and costly. The men would die in two days time, on Monday 8th September. Lancaster Castle : The Prisons and Courts - Lancashire Past It was then William Higgins turn, and as he was the only eye-witness to the crime this must have been a tense moment for all concerned. Lancaster Castle - Wikipedia 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. Lancaster Castle is a fantastic museum to explore. It was, according to the reports published at the time, the cause of intense interest in the town, and the courtroom was packed. RM HH70K7 - Henry V (1386 - 1422) was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 36 in 1422. 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. In 1322 and 1389 the Scots invaded England, progressing as far as Lancaster and damaging the castle. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. Why bother going upstairs where there was a potential witness in the shape of William Higgins? ", "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. He had stared so hard at her that she ran away. [53] However, it is unclear where the wall would have been. No doubt they all purchased refreshment from the good landlord after they had done so. In response, the Royalists dispatched an army to retake Lancaster. In the event of an assault, the keep formed the last line of defence. David and James jnr were taken at James house in St Georges Road in Manchester, James snr at his home in Silk Street, and Holden at his lodgings. Until 1835 the only Assize for the county, Lancaster Castle saw a vast number of accused people pass through its doors, many of whom would have been on trial for their life. Ely Dyson saw James Ashcroft jnr and his uncle leaving the house at around 4 oclock, carrying small bundles. The layout of the town was influenced by the Roman fort and the associated civilian settlement; the main road through the town was the route that led east from the fort. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. Who Was The Last Person Hanged At Lancaster Castle? On 13 August 50 years ago, Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans were hanged for the murder of John West. Henry granted it to Stephen of Blois, his nephew and later king. 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. The last Assizes were held at Lancaster in 1972. A week to the day after the murder at Winton, at five oclock on the morning of May 29th on the lonely road between Kirkby Stephen and Appleby, Alexander and Michael McKean were seen by William Taylor, a butcher from Kirkby Stephen. One of the four was allowed five minutes ofrecuperationwhile the others turned the wheel. [3] After the Norman Conquest in the second half of the 11thcentury, Lancaster was part of the Earldom of Northumbria; it was claimed by the kings of England and Scotland. A famous moniker used for Lancaster Castle was 'the hanging town' as it was considered to sentence more prisoners to death than at any other court in England. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. The oak timbers in the Gatehouse were probably felled in, or around, AD 1404. The pub was at Winton, a small village on the road to Manchester, just outside Patricroft Bridge. [40], The latest phase, started in September 2017 and completed in November 2019, has opened up the former prison kitchen yard. . They were James Ashcroft (53) his son, also James (32) David Ashcroft (48) brother and uncle respectively to the aforementioned men, and William Holden (47). In the face of this kind of testimony the defence counsel had little to offer. Would you commit a deed for which these unhappy men must very likely pay the forfeit of their lives? The speech eventually had its desired effect on those who heard it, and the McKeans were safely delivered to the castle where, not surprisingly, they were described as being thankful at having reached the prison unscathed.According to the prison authorities the men appeared haggard and shocked. This identified the convicted person as a malefactor or evil-doer.. Lancaster Castle is one of England's best-preserved castles. Thomas Holden sentenced to 7 years Transportation to Australia for 'Administering An Illegal Oath' to Isaac Crompton. 10,144 enrolled on this course. 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 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 . A survey in 1578 led to repairs to the keep costing 235. Lancaster Gaol housed one of the largest Debtor's prisons in The female panoptican prison is also on the cards to be included intheguided tour, as is the basement of the Well Tower where the Pendle Witches where held. More seriously, he had reports of a meeting that had occurred on Good Friday in which it was claimed there was a conspiracy to blow up Lancaster Castle with gunpowder, and kill the Keeper Thomas Covell who lived close by at the building now called the Judges Lodgings. This is partly due to its former use as a prison, which has prevented extensive archaeological investigation. The Castle has a small collection of around 500 historic objects, fixtures and fittings which are predominantly on display in the Shire Hall complex. 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. Owned by the serving monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II, through the Duchy of Lancaster, Lancaster Castle is a wealth of English history. He watched as they stopped by a stream to drink and cool their feet. RM C12F7B - Lancaster Castle Prison. Alexander was a hawker for the business and he had first called on the Bleares a year before the events of May 1826. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. 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. 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. Hear about the Castle's famous and infamous prisoners from highwayman, George Lyon to Peterloo speaker, Henry 'Orator' Hunt. The debtors area was later nicknamed as Hansbrows Hotel and a prison inspector said it resembled a somewhat noisy tavern . Murder Trials | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle Michael claimed that Bleares struck Alexander at the same time for no reason. The final prosecution witness was the man James snr had shared a cell with, and to whom he supposedly confessed. It seems, however, that the constable was less than keen to set off in pursuit, afraid that the McKeans might be armed. (See our page on Broughton Tower for a story of another one of the priests who was put on trialat Lancaster here). It is a Category C gaol and a number of its inmates are serving life sentences. [48], During the Roman era in the 4th century,[50] the fort was surrounded by the "Wery Wall" which is believed to translate as the 'green wall'. [43][44][45], The keep is the oldest part of the castle. New out groups were targeted, including numerous Quakers. In the last two decades of the century, around 30,000 was spent rebuilding Lancaster's county gaol. Bonnie Prince Charlie is reported to have stayed in Lancaster during the Jacobite uprising in 1745. It seems that at no time did any of them try to hide, or disguise who they were. The maid was the ill-fated Elizabeth Betty Bate. If the debtor still had access to money, life was quite different. In a time of civilunrest, what we would now recognise as political prisoners were held at the castle. The Shire Hall is currently not accessible for tours while work is undertaken to upgrade the Fire Alarm. They had refused, telling him that they preferred to walk home when it was cool rather than in the heat of the day. Being not only an historic castle but also a functional Prison up until 2011 Lancaster Castle has lots to see. To see our page with details on the Medieval buildings and the life of Lancaster Castle as a fortress click here. Lancaster was once again designated for use as a prison from 1954 onwards when the council leased the castle to the Home Office. Under his auspices, the Gaoler's House was built in 1788 in a Gothic style. 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. 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. Alexander and Michael were well known in Manchester and must have realised that it was impossible for them to remain in the area. [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 crowd pressed so close that the gentlemen escorting the brothers had to physically shield them. Like most Norman keeps, Lancaster's would have been entered at first floor level. Our guided tours unlock the fascinating, and often macabre, heritage of this imposing and historically significant monument. 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. The men arrested for the crimes seemed to have little defence. 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. She also saw the dresser sprinkled all over with blood but strangely, did not raise the alarm until a second visit, at 7pm that evening. Women and men would spend 10 hour days working them in teams of four. After William's death in 1164, the Honour of Lancaster again came under royal control when HenryII gained possession of the Honour. This course takes an innovative approach to exploring history, focusing on Lancaster Castle as a microcosm of broader trends. The castle also served as a debtors' prison. He said very little except to state that it had been Joseph Bleares who attacked him that night, a claim the brothers had first made in a letter Michael had written the day after the murder. The castle has around a thousand years of rich history. [17] The sophistication of the gatehouse prompted John Champness, who wrote Lancaster Castle: A Brief History, to remark "it is perhaps the finest of its date and type in England". Lancaster Gaol housed one of the largest Debtor's prisons in Justice was swift at the start of the nineteenth century. She was arrested in 1684 after leaving a Quaker meeting and brought to the castle prison. He seems to have given a cogent and simple account of what must have been a terrifying ordeal. His records show thatwomen slept in the day room while men slept in the now demolished dungeon tower. Lancaster Castle opens fully to the public - BBC News As the court and prison were so close, and contained within the castle walls, Lancaster was used for high-security trials. At no time did their demeanour suggest that they had recently, and savagely, murdered anyone. 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. People & Stories | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle [22] After the slighting of the castle, including the demolition of the Well Tower, it was militarily redundant. [23] Some Quakers, including in 1660 George Fox, were held at the castle for being politically dangerous. Two tread wheels were used as punishment for prisoners sentenced to hard labour in mid 1800s. By 1801, executions were no longer being carried out at the area known as Tiburn on Lancaster Moor. In 1092, WilliamII established a permanent border with Scotland further to the north by capturing Carlisle. Debtors could have beer, wine and tobacco but not spirits. [10], For the next 150years, there is no record of building work, although accounts are incomplete. Lancaster Castle has long been associated with both the trial of criminals and their detention. Ordained a Roman Catholic priest at the age of 27, Father Edmund Arrowsmith ministered and said Mass in the Brindle area between Blackburn and Preston. There is a macabre postscript to this story. The castle was first used as a prison in 1196 although this aspect became more important during the English Civil War. A choice of 22 rooms was available, priced from 5s (25p) to 30s (1.50p). The Judge was as puzzled as the modern reader may well be at why this awful crime came to be committed. They disappeared outside the pub for about twenty minutes before returning and then asked that they be shown to their chamber. The claims centred initially around Alizon Device, who was accused of causing a stroke to a pedlar when he refused to give her pins. Catholicpriestswere seen as spies and insurgents and believed to be encouraging rebellion against the Protestant monarchs. What Has Been Filmed At Lancaster Castle? - Tovisorga.com [48] Three storeys high, the apartment on the ground floor would probably have been used by the Constable of the castle; the two floors above had three rooms each. A glimpse into the history of Lancaster Castle and its use as a place of punishment offers a revealing insight into the nations changing attitudes towards crime and punishment, as well as religious and cultural beliefs through the centuries. The Gaol at Lancaster Castle | Lancaster Castle During the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, another targeted out group were Catholic priests. 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. Mrs Bleares had spent the evening mostly in the kitchen, but when the other customers finally left the pub Michael approached her and asked for a bed for the night, saying that it was too late to return to Manchester especially as he had a deal of money on him. The men were walking slowly in the direction of Appleby and he noted that they looked very weary. However, the uncertain construction date of the keep means that the King of Scotland could have been responsible for building it. The court finally fell silent as the sentences were passed. RM B860TG - Lancaster Castle John O Gaunt Gateway Lancaster England UK. This was the origin of the lay magistracy in England and Wales. [10], The main entrance is through a 20-metre-high (66ft) gatehouse built at the start of the 15th century. Lancaster Castle is still used today as a Crown Court. Lancaster Castle is owned by The Queen - who is the Duke of Lancaster - as well as being a fortification, the Castle was also Europe's longest-serving operational prison until its closure in March 2011 - plus its courtrooms have witnessed many famous and infamous trials over the centuries - including those of the Pendle Witches who were convicted