Walfords Gibbet

Captured at Walfords Gibbet, on the Quantock Hills, Somerset

The place name comes from the story of a young man, a charcoal burner named John Walford who was very popular and became engaged to be married to a lady named Ann Rice. A local girl named Jane Shorney however set her sights on John and became pregnant by him. He was arrested and told he must marry Jane or pay for the upkeep of his child. His engagement to Ann was ended and he married Jane. The marriage was soon in trouble and three weeks after the marriage with Jane already pregnant for a second time the couple went to Castle comfort in Donnington with John arriving back home in the early hours on his own.

The next day some children spotted some blood coming from below a gate and the body of Jane Walford was found beaten and knifed in what became known as Dead Woman's Ditch. A search of their cottage revealed a bloody knife and John was arrested and sentenced to death. His former fiance came to see him before he was hanged and gave him her forgiveness. John's body was left to hang for 100 days for all to see.

I have added a song called 'The Hanging Tree' sung here by Rachel Zegler.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj0yKnXkc-Y

Best viewed large I think. Many thanks