Murder Stone Update

 Last October Bay Magazine, I wrote an article about Murder Stones.

Wilful Murder against a Person or Persons Unknown, these were the returned verdicts of two inquests regarding two murders. Inquests unlike today, where they are heard at a Coronor’s Office, were heard at the local Public House, close to the murder.

 

What is a Murder Stone? They are an historic marker usually a stone, which has an engraved inscription. They are to be found in England, Scotland and a handful in Wales.

 

Since the publication of last April’s Bay Family History article, Sweet F.A., which featured a murder stone located at St Catwg’s church, in Cadoxton, Neath, I have visited St Michaels and All Angels church, in Thursley, Surrey where there is a Grade I listed murder stone, which commemorates the murder of an unknown sailor.

 

In September 1786, an anonymous sailor who was returning from London to join his ship docked in Portsmouth, had stopped off at the Red Lion pub in Thursley.  It was here that he bought a round of drinks for three other men. The sailor, now accompanied by the men, set off for Portsmouth. The men, thinking that the sailor was well off, murdered him and stripped him. The three men then went into the next village, Rake and tried to sell the clothes. They were caught, tried and found guilty of murder, then executed at a local gibbet.

So infamous was the murder that Charles Dickens features the events in the novel Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, in 1839.

 

So, following an update from this article.  February 2022, whilst out and about, I photographed the Murder Stone, situated at spot where the murder was committed, overlooking the Devil’s Punch Bowl.

 The Devil’s Punch Bowl is a 697-acre visitor attraction and Site of Special Interest, situated east of the village of Hindhead.  The Punch Bowl  is a large natural amphitheatre. Local legends suggest its different theories on its creation.  One story states that the Devil, who was irritated by all the churches being built during the Middle Ages in Sussex decided to dig a channel from the English Channel through the South Downs to flood the area.  As he began to dig, the threw lumps of earth, each becoming a landmark.  He got at far as the village of Poynings, West Sussex, when he was disturbed by a cock crowning.  The devil, then leapt into Surrey , and created the Devil’s Punch Bowl, where he landed.

 

Another legend stated that the Devil hurled lumps of earth at Thor who was annoying him.  He hollowed out landscape became what is the Devil’s Punch Bowl. 

 

The Murder Stone, the inscription reads

 

ERECTED

In detestation of a barbarous Murder

Committed here on an unknown Sailor

On Sept. 24^th 1786

By Edw^d Mich^l Casey and Ja^s Marshall

Who were all taken the same day

And hung in Chains near this place

 

Whoso Sheddeth Man’s Blood by Man Shall his

Blood be Shed. Gen. 9 Ver 6