Harsh penalties for historic crimes at Conisbrough Castle

Saturday 5, Sunday 6 and Bank Holiday Monday 7 May 2012

He’s sharpening his axe ready to dole out the toughest punishments history can offer at Conisbrough Castle, near Doncaster, over the May Day bank holiday weekend. Renowned executioner, Gilbert Savage, returns to the South Yorkshire landmark with cautionary tales of medieval crime and punishment.

For three days, Conisbrough Castle will once again be home to a set of gallows, marking a return of the hanging equipment which were first installed at the castle in 1250, along with a host of other tools of the trade of a medieval executioner, from thumb screws to the axe used to chop off heads! Throughout the bank holiday weekend, Gilbert will regale visitors with stories of the crimes – brutal and sometimes relatively minor – that would have led citizens to face execution in the name of the king!

“In medieval England, there was no such thing as a caution – even the smallest crimes warranted a severe punishment,” explains English Heritage’s regional events manager, Jon Hogan. “For example, for theft of something valued less than a shilling (approximately a week’s wages for a farm labourer), punishment for the first offence would be a period on the pillory or stocks, after which your ear would be nailed to the wooden frame and you’d have to tear yourself loose – that’s the origin of the phrase ‘ear-marked’.”

Conisbrough had a set of village stocks right up until 1810, when they were taken out of use as a means of punishment and re-employed as gateposts!

For subsequent offences, the punishment would be more severe – branding, flogging, removal of an ear or even the slitting of the nose for a second minor theft, and if you were caught a third time, the gallows awaited! “This wasn’t just a punishment for adults – children as young as seven could receive this punishment, even execution, so there really was no escaping medieval justice!” adds Jon.

Visitors can meet the executioner from 11.00am to 4.30pm each day over the weekend, with regular presentations and the chance to ask questions of Gilbert Savage throughout the day. The castle itself is open from 10.00am to 5.00pm each day. Admission prices are £4.60 for adults, £4.10 for concessions and £2.80 for children, with a family ticket available for £12.00 (two adults and up to three children). English Heritage members get in free.

For more information, please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/conisbrough or call 01709 863329.

Conisbrough Castle is open Saturday to Wednesday each week until the end of June, then daily throughout July and August from 10.00am to 5.00pm.

ENDS

For further media information, or for a copy of the press pack detailing all of English Heritage’s events throughout Yorkshire, please contact:

Jay Commins

PRO – English Heritage (Yorkshire)

Tel: 0113 251 5698

Mobile:                07810 546567

Email: jay@fim.org.uk