Week 50 – Winter’s Gibbet
Winter’s gibbet, high on the moors, a few miles outside Elsdon, in Northumberland.
This was the site, where the body of William Winter’s body hung after execution for the murder of a local woman.
In 1791, he was aided by 2 Clarke sisters, as they robbed and murdered a local woman who lived in a wee peel tower, they were caught only when a young shepherd boy, saw them eating on the hills, he noticed the large knife Winter had, and counted the nails in his shoes, this matched the prints at the scene.
They were all executed and the body of Winter placed in chains until he had rotted away. His remains were eventually taken down and scattered around, his skull being sent to a Dr in Newcastle.
The executioner on the day, was himself sentenced to death for stealing sheep, but for this ‘service’, he was reprieved and sent to New South Wales for 7 years instead.
ali 🙂
Project 52 - 2013 