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. Large amounts of money are being spent in improving the fabric of the whole building with a view to open more of it up to tourists. 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. 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. Such trials must have been full of tension and drama. Betty had managed to crawl across the landing to the club room where she died. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. Interestingly, both Holden and James jnr mentioned being taken to see the bodies, and of being so shocked and moved by the sight that they kissed them. The female felons prison, the male felons prison, the female penitentiary, debtors prison andGaolers Houseare all very clearly intact. Henry granted it to Stephen of Blois, his nephew and later king. In addition to its role as a fortress and a prison, the castle has also been used as a court and an execution site. 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. Still a crown court, the majority of the castle is now open . The business was not prosperous, and Blears regretted taking having taken it on. This was the crux of the matter as far as Michaels fate was concerned. Are there prisoners at Lancaster Castle? Martha Bleares, who was described as nearly fifty years of age and rather lusty, was clearly in a terrible state. It also addressed other matters that must still appear relevant to anyone who reads this case today. Visitors to Lancaster Castle are advised to check opening times by telephoning 01524 64998. They were viciously murdered at the home of their employer, on the outskirts of Manchester, on April 26th 1817. Insolvent debtors were required to work within the prison and, in return, received, 3ozs bread and 4ozs oatmeal daily, and 1oz salt and 10lb potatoes weekly. 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. Knowing that Michael was not far behind, Faraday left Alexander in the charge of the two workmen then went back outside. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. At that time, the saying of Mass was an offence punishable by death and Father Arrowsmith was arrested in 1628 and condemned to die as a traitor. Not one witness recalled seeing blood on any of their clothing, which was described in often minute detail, right down to the colour of their handkerchiefs and their boot tops. Their founder George Fox (who famously had a vision of his religious missionon Pendle Hill) was imprisoned at the castle. The large internal courtyard is now accessible to the public, for the first time in decades. Research Report 35/2016", "Atkinsons make a move into Lancaster Castle - North West FDMB", "Lancaster Castle Restored and Re-Opened! The first one was installed in 1822. He described his incarceration: Then I was put into a tower where the smoke of the other prisoners came up so thick that I could scarcely see the candle that it burned, Besides it rained in upon my bed in this manner did I lie all that long cold winter till the next assizes; in which time I was so starved with cold and rain, and my body so greatly swelled and my limbs benumbed.. This is still standing and the Duchy hopes to open it up to visitors in the future. 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. 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. Lancaster Castle was used as the main gaol in the city. The castle has around a thousand years of rich history. When Michael spoke it was to reiterate what Alexander had said. On March 25th 1865 Stephen Burke was hanged for the murder of his wife, this was the last public execution at the Castle. 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. Justice was swift at the start of the nineteenth century. A more serious class of convict started to be housed at Lancaster in Georgian times felons. The History of Lancaster Lancashire's High Sheriff and Justices of the Peace petitioned the king to repair the castle. RF CP6TGD - Lancaster Castle main entrance. [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. 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. One witness, Mary Hollows, passed by the window between 1 and 2pm and saw a man inside, who she later identified as William Holden. Being not only an historic castle but also a functional Prison up until 2011 Lancaster Castle has lots to see. 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. He became a regular visitor, selling tea, silks and cotton to the proprietor. The case had excited enormous public interest with its hints of sexual liaisons, the accusations of corruption against the deeply unpopular Nadin, and the continued refusal of the condemned to admit their guilt. Lancaster prison hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Lancaster Castle opens its gates to the public for the first time since the Middle Ages. In 1322 and 1389 the Scots invaded England, progressing as far as Lancaster and damaging the castle. Before the Jury retired to consider the verdict Mr Justice Park summed up. Terrified, the boy rushed past him, vaulted over the banister and, evading the arms of Michael McKean who was waiting at the foot of the stairs, headed outside, and ran away to hide in a ditch.Downstairs, Mrs Bleares, who was sitting in the bar with her sleeping husband, heard Betty scream and immediately took a candle and went into the hall, where she was confronted by Michael McKean. BBC - Lancashire - History - Lancaster Castle Its early history is unclear, but it may have been founded in the 11thcentury on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune. By the 1950s it was back in use as a prison again and this was finally closed in 2011. [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 jury retired to consider its verdict. The Quakers believed that men and women should be treated as equals. [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. 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. He watched as they stopped by a stream to drink and cool their feet. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. The money was all gone from the bedroom, where they also found a bloodstained cleaver from the kitchen. Self-procalimed 'King of the Robbers' George Lyon was not quite the romantic figure that local legend would have us believe. 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 The standard minimum charge for transporting a prisoner to the colonies was 8.10s 2d but this could rise to as much as 12. One by one the men were brought out onto the scaffold and one by one they reiterated their innocence. Lancaster Castle housed two treadwheels one to drive 23 calico looms and one to draw water from the well. Her cry of murder was cut short as McKean cut her throat, but it was enough to rouse William. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. Women and men would spend 10 hour days working them in teams of four. George and Elizabeth Youngson were Lancaster's youngest convict transportees to Australia, for the crime of theft. This was the origin of the lay magistracy in England and Wales. The last prisoners will leave the castle's jail by Saturday and the Duchy of Lancaster, landlord of the site, plus Lancashire county council which owns the actual buildings, will put on their . BBC - History of the tours and trials at Lancaster Castle The monarchy was restored in 1660, and CharlesII visited Lancaster on 12 August and released all the prisoners held in the castle. Ten people convicted of witchcraft at the Summer Assize in Lancaster Castle went to the gallows on the moors above the town. BBC - Lancashire - Tours and trials at Lancaster Castle [25] Architect Thomas Harrison was commissioned to complete the work. In the late 1190s certain local knights were appointedKeepers of the Peace by the king. 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. Theirs was the last case to be heard. Get all the latest updates from Lancaster Castle. He was hung, drawn and quartered, and part of his body exposed on top of the John O Gaunt Gateway. [52] The remaining Wery Wall measures 4m 3m 3m and consists of only rubble due to the facing stones having been reused elsewhere. [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. The McKeans On Monday August 21st 1826 two brothers, Alexander and Michael McKean went to the gallows in Lancaster for the murder of Elizabeth Bate. 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. The Judge was as puzzled as the modern reader may well be at why this awful crime came to be committed. [8] It is possible that David refortified the castle at this time. Lancaster Castle has long been associated with both the trial of criminals and their detention. To see our page with details on the Medieval buildings and the life of Lancaster Castle as a fortress click here. The Shire Hall is currently not accessible for tours while work is undertaken to upgrade the Fire Alarm. Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle and former prison in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. In a time of civilunrest, what we would now recognise as political prisoners were held at the castle. And why risk so much for such a relatively small sum of money as 30?So, what if the motive had not been robbery? 5. [13] Lancaster was one such castle. Until 2011 the majority of the buildings were leased to the Ministry of Justice as HM Prison Lancaster, after which the castle was returned to the Duchy's management. Get all the latest updates from Lancaster Castle. He intimated that, had the victim been Joseph Bleares it might have made some kind of sense. Lancaster Castle opens fully to the public - BBC News Castles & Fortified Towers, Georgian Lancashire, Medieval Lancashire, Victorian Lancashire. 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. And yet the perpetrators of the crime would certainly have been stained quite severely, given the very nature of the murders. Lancaster Castle : The Prisons and Courts - Lancashire Past 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. Similarly with Michaels undoubted attack on Mrs Bleares, which was a felony in itself. Lancaster Castle is a fantastic museum to explore. 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. Michael claimed that Bleares struck Alexander at the same time for no reason. [43][44][45], The keep is the oldest part of the castle. The castle has a long judicial history. 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. Battlements project over the gatehouse, and would have allowed defenders to rain missiles on attackers immediately below. After William's death in 1164, the Honour of Lancaster again came under royal control when HenryII gained possession of the Honour. Nowells investigation led him into a series of claims and counterclaims of witchcraft between three local families. The first one was installed in 1822. About 1260 Dominican friars came to Lancaster and founded a friary east of the town roughly where Dalton Square is today. The bodies were soon discovered in the kitchen: Margaret Marsden and Hannah Partington were quite dead, their skulls fractured, and the kitchen was covered in blood. 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 . One such case was the Pendleton Murders of 1817. Despite her protests he prevailed upon her to allow them both to spend the night. They headed north, where the roads were quieter and habitation sparse, although they failed to make much provision for such a long and arduous journey. The family originated from Dumfries, where both men had been born, and where one of their two older brothers, William, still lived. 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. There is a macabre postscript to this story. Alexander asked her whether her husband slept soundly when he got liquor, although why he should want to know this puzzled her. New out groups were targeted, including numerous Quakers. A new Crown Court and Shire Hall were also added in the same decade. Before the introduction of the Borstal System, children were regularly imprisoned alongside adult offenders. [10], The main entrance is through a 20-metre-high (66ft) gatehouse built at the start of the 15th century. 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. The men arrested for the crimes seemed to have little defence. Lancaster Castle - The Captains Guides Read more. No doubt they all purchased refreshment from the good landlord after they had done so. The castle is still being used as the administrative offices . 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. James was seen once more, this time by Elizabeth Williams, coming out of the Black Horse with his father at 4:30pm. 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. The last Assizes were held at Lancaster in 1972. England. The mere fact that he had agreed to the act, and that he had taken up a position at the foot of the stairs in order that his brother should not be disturbed in the commission of it, was sufficient to make him as guilty as Alexander. Betty had plainly put up a fight, but died as a result of the wound to her throat. He may have wished he had been able to though, as during his tenure the number of debtors increased tenfold. On 13 August 50 years ago, Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans were hanged for the murder of John West. If the debtor still had access to money, life was quite different. The earliest standing fabric of the Castle is found in the Norman Keep, built in about 1150. The poker was still there, but bent and very bloody. In July 2010 the Ministry of Justice announced it was intending to close it, stating it was outdated and costly. Given this fact, Michaels crime was murder in the second degree, which carried the same penalty as Alexanders crime. [16] Records show that between 1402 and 1422, the year Henry V died, over 2,500 was spent on building work. Hear about the Castle's famous and infamous prisoners from highwayman, George Lyon to Peterloo speaker, Henry 'Orator' Hunt. Under his auspices, the Gaoler's House was built in 1788 in a Gothic style. However, when Henry Duke of Lancaster ascended the throne as King HenryIV in 1399, he almost immediately began adding the monumental gatehouse. This shed remained until the mid-20th Century, allegedly still containing the Gallows. The castle role as a prison was becoming increasingly important, with the Gatehouse rooms being occupied by debtors. Forensic science did not exist, and in many cases eye-witness testimony or the most circumstantial of evidence was enough to secure a conviction. This is partly due to its former use as a prison, which has prevented extensive archaeological investigation. 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. RM HH70K7 - Henry V (1386 - 1422) was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 36 in 1422. Lancaster's use of the treadwheels was almost unique as most prisons did not harness the energy in any useful way. [22] After the slighting of the castle, including the demolition of the Well Tower, it was militarily redundant. The castle is now open to the public seven days a week and is undergoing a large-scale refurbishment. To see most of the interior of the buildings you need to take a guided tour, but it is free to enter the courtyard. With breathtaking speed, a person could stand trial, be convicted, and within forty-eight hours be in their grave. They weredreadfully dejected, and hung down their heads in the deepest despondency, while their pale and haggard looks told a horrible tale of what passed within.. After the English Civil War, most of the gatehouse rooms were filled with debtors. On Wednesday 26th April, the tours will consist of the courtyards only as A-Wing is being used for a private event. Crime & Punishment | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle King Charles was executed in January 1649 and shortly after Parliament again ordered the slighting of the castle, apart from buildings necessary for administration and use as a county gaol. For over 50 years, the Prison Chaplain was Parson Rowley who is said to have attended 170 criminals to their execution. John Nuttal and Henry Schofield had been hanged on 6th September, and there would be five more executions on the 20th. An inquest was held at the Jolly Carter at four oclock the next afternoon and a verdict of Wilful Murder was returned. Justice Park addressed this question next in the following terms: During this trial a thought came into my mind, and I dare say it struck the learned counsel too, from the method of his examination, whether it might not be supposed that at first Alexander had some criminal view or intention against this woman, an intent upon her person; but even supposing that were the case, if in endeavouring to effect his purpose he put her to death, it would be equally murder in him, although it would not be so for the other prisoner. 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. She saw the shutters partially down, but through the window she could see Margaret Marsden slumped in her chair with her back to the window. It may well have been that their first thought was to make for Scotland. Faraday knocked him down but Michael realised what was happening and attacked Faraday with a stick. [26] The Shire Hall and Crown Court were complete by 1798. England. 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. 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. Its latest incarnation was as HMP Lancaster, a Category C prison which was operational on this site right up until March 2011. Lancaster Castle was one of the first gaols in England to segregate its inmates by age and gender. The conspiracy charges to blow up the castle and commit murder may well have been trumped up, but nevertheless eight women and two men were brought to trial. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. Alexander, suspecting nothing, gratefully accepted and as he entered the house he was immediately seized and told by the obviously enthusiastic Faraday that he was his prisoner. However, Alexander managed to get free of his captors and tried to make a run for it. [47] The medieval hall stood south-west of the keep and was dismantled in 1796 during the remodelling of the castle. Though the region was generally peaceful, the Scots invaded in 1322 and 1389, reaching Lancaster and damaging the castle. After the Georgian remodelling of the castle, it was decided it would be more convenient to perform executions nearer the castle. In 2016 Historic England commissioned a tree-ring analysis of oak and pine timbers in the Keep and Gatehouse. In 1195, Richard I commissioned certain knights to preserve the peace in unruly areas they were known as Keepers of the Peace. They were seen open at 12:30, partially closed at 1:45 and completely shut at 2pm. He had instigated widespread changes to allgaols which included segregating prisoners on the basis of their crime and gender. Limited tours, lasting 30 minutes, take place throughout the day but only cover the external courtyards and one of the prison buildings. George and Elizabeth Youngson were Lancaster's youngest convict transportees to Australia, for the crime of theft. [10] The holdings of the Duchy of Lancaster extended beyond the county, and Lancaster was not especially important. What happened next was described in chilling detail at the trial by the boy, William Higgins, who was asleep in the room upstairs. The Royalists unsuccessfully tried to recapture Lancaster in April and again in June; the town and castle remained under Parliament's control until the end of the war. Murder trials in particular excited enormous public interest, with newspapers always keen to highlight cases that involved brutality, or ones which had sexual undertones. Get all the latest updates from Lancaster Castle. They arrived in Lancaster to find the streets thronged with people and the air filled with hooting and hissing and maledictions against the bloody murderers. Eventually the coach stopped in the market place where the prisoners alighted. Based on a semi-circle, five tiers of cells could be surveyed from a central control room. 2 Is Lancaster Castle still a court? Lancaster Castle is still used today as a Crown Court. The only question here was what the intent had been on his part: did he know that his brother intended murder? George and Elizabeth Youngson were Lancaster's youngest convict transportees to Australia, for the crime of theft. 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. [2] The castle is the oldest standing building in Lancaster and one of the most important. Lancaster Gaol housed one of the largest Debtor's prisons in 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. Famous prisoners included Father Edmund Arrowsmith who was a Roman Catholic priest who said Mass in the Brindle area between Blackburn and Preston. Get all the latest updates from Lancaster Castle. On Wednesday 26th April, the tours will consist of the courtyards only as A-Wing is being used for a private event. He had no problem at all in identifying Alexander as the man who had murdered Betty. With the threat of a Spanish invasion, the castle was strengthened in 1585. 1788 saw a new Gaolers House constructed between the Gatehouse and the Well Tower and this still stands. A new section of the caf has been built, against the old outer curtain wall, which was reduced in height to afford views of the neighbouring Lancaster Priory. The maid was the ill-fated Elizabeth Betty Bate. Hundreds of people died under this roof . Like most Norman keeps, Lancaster's would have been entered at first floor level. The Reverend Joseph Rowley, prison chaplain for fifty four years, attended 168 executions. Lancaster Gaol housed one of the largest Debtor's prisons in 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. Amid sobbing and screaming from wives and family members all four men loudly protested their innocence, so much so that the judge reprimanded them and the bailiffs and to struggle to regain order. He later wrote to his brother: I had such a turnit made me tremble to think of the danger he had been in and he clearly believed that this act of bravery entitled him to the fifty guinea reward. RF DXFE9F - Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle located in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Lancasters Custom House and Maritime Museum, Lancaster Castle: A Brief History, John Champness (1993), Lancashire County Books, Life In Georgian Lancaster, Andrew White (2004) Carnegie Publishing, Lancaster Castle: 1000 Years of Royal Heritage, Justice, Felony and Incarceration, leaflet (undated circa 2016) available from Lancashire Tourist Information office, printed by Lancaster Castle, http://www.lancastercastle.com/history-heritage/a-dark-history/crime-punishment/, http://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/12/George-Fox, If you would like to know each time a new piece is published, just enter your email below and click 'Follow', Lancaster Castle : The Prisons andCourts, Lancaster Castle : The Fortress Lancashire Past, Lancasters Lost Roman Fort Lancashire Past, Lancaster Roman Baths and Wery Wall Lancashire Past, The Customs House : Lancaster Maritime Museum Lancashire Past, Upholland Priory, a Benedictine Monastery, near Wigan Lancashire Past, The Strange Tale of Edward Kelley at Walton-le-Dale Lancashire Past, Greenhalgh Castle, Garstang Lancashire Past, The Ruskin Library and Museum, Lancaster Lancashire Past, Galgate Silk Mill, Galgate near Lancaster Lancashire Past, A History of the Ashton Memorial, Lancaster Lancashire Past. 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. Heraldry Archive | Lancaster Castle : Lancaster Castle
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