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| Name: | Red Hill execution site |
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| HER Reference: | WCM91097 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Grid Reference: | SO 868 536 |
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| Map Sheet: | SO85SE |
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| Parish: | Worcester (Non Civil Parish), Worcester City, Worcestershire |
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| Worcester, Worcestershire |
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Monument Types
- EXECUTION SITE (POST MEDIEVAL - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Events
- 4 Whittington Road, former execution site (Ref: WCM101409)
- 4 Whittington Road (execution site) (Ref: WCM101470)
- Red Hill Gibbet Site, 4 Whittington Road (Ref: WCM101858)
Full description
'Where the London and Alcester roads join at Red Hill in the north-eastern corner of the parish was the spot at which all the county criminals were executed until the early half of the 18th century. The gibbet on which such of them as were hung in chains were suspended also stood here'{1}.
The site is believed to be located in the garden of 4 Whittington Road, where there is a small mound which is thought to be the gallows mound. A plaque commemorates the memory of Blessed John Wall, the Catholic priest who was executed at the site. It is possible that there are burials in the vicinity as it was common practice to bury criminals in the area that they were executed, rather than on consecrated ground. {1}A documentary history of the site was undertaken by Dr Pat Hughes and found that hangings took place regularly at Redhill from 1744. No documentary evidence was found for burial at this site, and none either for or against the association of the site with Catholic martyrs has been found.{3}
Need to reference suggestion that the execution site was at the road junction rather than at the location of the memorial
Sources and further reading
| <1> | Monograph: 1913. History of the County of Worcestershire III. |
| <2> | Monograph: Craze, M. 1977. Whittington. |
| <3*> | Unpublished document: Hughes, P. 2006. The Redhill Execution Site, No. 4/4a Whittington Road, Worcester. |
Related records
| WCM91098 | Parent of: Red Hill 'gallows mound' (Monument) |
| WCM91099 | Parent of: Red Hill gibbet (Monument) |
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