Legends of Dover Castle

The Castle Keep - Photo Copyright Janet Cameron

When the Romans first tried to invade Dover, they had to withdraw due to the barbaric warriors who hurled stones at them from the clifftops. Magnificent Dover Castle was built to protect the harbour from invasion. Work began in 1180 and the Castle remained a military fortress until the 1960s. The following stories, like most legendary tales, almost certainly contain grains of truth, while the fiction and fantasy imparts an insight into the beliefs and concerns of our ancestors.

A Living Death

While Dover Castle was being built, masons were confounded by the way one of the towers (Peverell's Tower) kept collapsing. They would build it up again and again, but still it kept coming down and no one could work out why. The builders did not blame their own poor workmanship, but instead decided the collapses were due to evil spirits that needed appeasing. An old woman was walking nearby with her dog, so the men seized them both and interred them in the wall alive as a sacrifice to the angry spirits. The terrified old woman cursed them as she and her innocent pet were entombed, but it didn't deter the masons.

After the building was finished, the chief mason fell from the top of the tower to his death. Rumour had it that it was the old woman, wreaking her revenge. (In medieval times, it was common practice for people to be buried in the foundations of buildings to ward off evil spirits.)

The Stick that Grew

A soldier from Dover Castle killed another man with a stick. The soldier, Donald, was convinced he had escaped justice as there was no one else around to witness his action. The soldier made a bizarre bargain with himself, Pushing a stick into the ground close to the road, he told himself he would be safe so long as the stick did not take root. Later, his regiment was sent abroad. When it returned in around twenty years and Donald arrived in Dover, he found, to his amazement, that the stick had grown into a fine young elm tree.

Overcome with guilt for what he had done, he confessed to his crime. He was tried, found guilty and hanged in chains next to the elm tree.

The Drummer Boy of Dover Castle

A drummer boy lost his life in Dover Castle. It's claimed he is the source of the headless ghost that walks the battlements. The young man was carrying out an errand for his captain involving a large sum of money, but he was set upon by thugs. Courageously, the boy fought back and tried to hold onto the money he was guarding. He was outnumbered by the ruffians and beheaded.

A medium, David Acorah, conducted an investigation of the site, and claimed the attack came from men from the boy's regiment. He believed that the boy's headless body was recovered in 1802, although, mysteriously, the head was never discovered. Mr. Acorah was convinced the boy came from Cork in Ireland, and that his mother's name was Mary. He added he would try to set the boy's spirit free.

Odo, Bishop of Bayeux

Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, was half-brother to King William the Conqueror. Odo was jealous and wanted to take William's place someday as King. His pursuit of power and the inevitable reign of terror he instigated and which spread across the whole county of Kent, made the Bishop a much hated figure.

Odo was ambitious and he wanted gold and treasure for the day when he took his brother's place on the throne. His plan was to destroy the Saxon landlowners and take their estates for himself. As he added to his personal treasury, he set up his friends and family in the properties he stole. In his arrogance, he even confiscated the Guildhall from the King.

Many ships were wrecked due to Odo's negligence. In the mid-eleventh century, Dover was a busy port with packet ships leaving regularly for France. This didn't worry Odo, who allowed a tenant of his to construct a mill at the entrance to Dover Harbour. This structure caused such a disturbance to the sea that shipping was badly disrupted and many vessels came to grief.

If that wasn't enough, Odo asked the English knights to help him in deposing the Pope, so he could secure the Papacy for himself. An army gathered to go to Italy, but Odo was arrested, tried and condemned under his secular title of the Earl of Kent. He was imprisoned in Normandy until 1087, and released by William, who, rather generously, gave him back his earldom.

Ironic Justice

Odo wasn't the only privileged noble to take advantage and twist the laws of the land to suit himself. When men were fined for adultery, the King pocketed the cash. The King also received half the property of those condemned to death. Also, an ironic justice - adulterous women had their fines paid to the archbishop.

"When it's dark in Dover / It's dark the whole world over." - Old Dover saying.

Sources:

Adapted from Murder & Crime, Dover, Janet Cameron, Tempus Publishing, 2006.

'Past Times,' Dover Telegaph, 9 March, 1844.

This Sceptred Isle, Christopher Lee, Penguin Books, 1997.

Military Crime in Britain in the 19th Century

Some young men found it difficult to surrender to the stringent discipline of military life. The consequences could be disastrous, both for the perpetrators of crime and for their unfortunate victims, while the executioner pursued what he did best with unswerving dedication. However, just occasionally, with a little cunning and guile, a wrongdoer might actually get away with it. 

Crazy with Jealousy

A sergeant, Patrick Feeney, had a fancy for a young private's pretty wife - at least, that's what the private believed. Crazy with jealousy, Private Benjamin Gardiner of the 50th Regiment went looking for Sergeant Feeney and shot him dead. In July 1834, Private Gardiner was hanged on Chatham Lines for the sergeant's murder. His execution was meant as a warning to his comrades, but during the proceedings, a storm blew up and it became very dark. People thought this was the wrath of God and many of them ran away to hide from God's anger.

Mad with Greed

On 10 August 1830, according to the Medway News, John McAlister was indicted with assaulting William Rogers, a soldier at Chatham. McAlister stole from Rogers a watch and two sovereigns. William Rogers was on his way home to his quarters at Fort Pitt about 10.00pm. McAlister and another soldier approached him, saying, "How d'ya do, comrade" and immediately knocked him down, kneeling on him as he lay helpless on the ground. McAlister then rifled the pockets of his victim, tearing his trousers as he removed the watch. Rogers yelled, "Murder!" and the guard heard and came to his assistance. McAlister ran off, but he was chased and captured with the stolen articles in his possession. He was found guilty but the paper made no mention of his punishment.

Desperate for Freedom

During Nelson's time in the 1800s, a sentry with a peg-leg and crutch was on his way through the oldest part of the Naval Barracks at Chatham, known as Cumberland Block. His destination was Room No. 34, where the next man on the duty roster was still sleeping. The sentry was desperate for a break himself and meant to waken the oversleeping sentry, but before he reached Room No. 34, the sentry was set about by a crowd of prisoners who were intent on escaping. Without a second thought, the mob bludgeoned the sentry to death. During and since the 1940s, several people have claimed to see and hear the sentry's ghost, limping and tapping through old Cumberland Block.

The Dashing Deserter

According to the Kentish Independent dated Saturday 13 January 1900, a young sapper of the Royal Engineers deserted from the Corps at Chatham. He tried to enlist in a regiment of Hussars intending to go to war, but his military appearance alerted the authorities, especially when his account of himself seemed so evasive. Immediately, he was placed under arrest, pending a court martial at Chatham on the following Thursday. However, while being escorted across the parade ground on the Wednesday afternoon, he managed to escape, taking the corporal in charge by surprise. So the dashing deserter got away.

Fuelled by Anger

In August 1865, a soldier shot dead an officer on the parade ground at Bromton Barracks in Gillingham. The officer was Major Francis Horatio de Vere, a veteran of the Crimea, and his murderer was Sapper John Currie, who showed no remorse for his action towards his superior. It happened on 11 August when the nineteen-year-old sapper fired, just as the 400 men were standing to attention. Lieutenant Arthur Durnford rushed to help the fallen major, who was gasping, "Oh, my God!" It was Lieutenant Durnford who later entered the barracks and discovered Currie alone in his cell, which reeked of gunpowder. Currie calmly admitted his guilt.

At first, it was feared that the wound to the major was fatal. Later, the surgeons felt that the victim would live, but they were wrong, and within a week, Major de Vere had died. At his trial at the Central Criminal Court, the unsavoury facts emerged. John Currie simply never got it right, while Major de Vere was among the most stringent officers of the Royal Engineers, demanding no less than the best from those under his command.

The crunch came when Currie took a cut in pay for a misdeameanour that had taken place a few months previously. Currie's laziness continued, perhaps more out of grievance than for any other reason, and he ended up in the guard house, then later his commanding officer had him shut in his cell for six days. John Currie decided he was being picked on, so he loaded up his rifle and shot the major from the window, over the heads of the assembled officers.

The defence claimed that John Currie, driven out of his mind by the alleged grievances, had been insane when he had committed the murder. However, the plea was rejected by the judge, Mr. Justice Sheet, who sentenced John Currie to death. Later, it was claimed by a minister that John Currie had expressed remorse for killing the major and he was well-supported by his family. Comforted by the Presbyterian minister, Mr. John Greener, John Currie asked for a prayer to be said as he was prepared for death. On the fateful day, as the hangman placed the noose around his neck, he waited for around five minutes for the duration of the prayer.

Once the drop fell, Currie took a couple of minutes to die, as was usual with those who suffered at the hands of the dreaded executioner William Calcraft.

Sources:

Newspapers as stated in text.

Murder and Crime Medway, Tempus Publishing, 2008.

The Revenge Bombing of Canterbury

Cover of Canterbury Streets by Janet Cameron
Published by Tempus Publishing

It's hard to believe that the area occupied by one of England's most beautiful cities was once a swampy wasteland. That is, until our prehistoric ancestors began learning to use tools. Now Canterbury's vibrant mix of old and new, coexisting in harmony, earns it a unique place in England's history.

The "Blitz" Raids

A watershed in the history of Canterbury was the Blitz, particularly the raids of 1942 which destroyed many beautiful buildings, from private homes to fine, historical treasures. The Baedeker raids against England's town and cities were in reprisal for RAF night attacks against German cities. The raid on 1 June 1942, was meant to avenge the bombing of Cologne on 30 May. It is estimated that one fifth of Canterbury was devastated that night during an attack that lasted 2hrs 30mins.

Fortunately, the city's greatest treasures, like the Cathedral, survived, thanks to vigilant fire-watchers. This stunning, Gothic masterpiece was originally built and consecrated in 1070 and its last major alterations were in 1834. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, symbolic head of the Anglican Church.

War Heroes

The War Memorial stands in the Buttermarket. One of the names inscribed is that of Philip Thornton, who once lived with his family in Stone Street. Philip Thornton volunteered as a soldier, joining the Buffs, which is the Royal East Kent Regiment. In 1941, Philip left from Canterbury East Station for his posting in India, and then went off to fight in the Battle for Burma.  He was killed at Donbaik in 1943.

An Angel Sang that Night

Philip loved music and had often sung at carol concerts, giving performances which prompted one old man to say: "I thought I heard the angels sing last night." After his death, his parents received a letter from complete strangers in India, where he had been trained for a year. It said: "As long as Christmas has its carols, we shall remember your son."

A Spectacular View of the "Blitz"

The University of Kent at Canterbury stands on a site once occupied by Brotherhood and Beverley farms. From this site, high up, many people watched, fascinated by the spectacular flares and brilliant cascades of lights illuminating Canterbury on the night of the 1942 raid. One account records that one hundred people watched the terrible destruction including the toppling of church steeples. It seems bizarre to describe the destruction of war as anything but horrific, yet people reflecting on the sight said it was "beautiful."

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Canterbury is a fine city, buzzing with activity and is located close to many areas of outstanding natural beauty, easily accessible by bus or train. It is a blessing that its indomitable spirit during the Second World War raids helped protect its most precious treasure, the great Canterbury Cathedral - or, by its full and proper name - Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of Christ at Canterbury.

Sources:

Stephen Bax

Doris Conroy

Peggy Poole

Other Reading:


The Rear-Guard, war poem by Siefried Sassoon

Murder by Poison on the Canterbury to Whitstable Railway

Historic Railway Station, Copyright Janet Cameron

The Canterbury to Whitstable Railway first opened in 1834, allowing Canterbury people to enjoy a cheap day out with the family at the seaside. Whitstable, a quaint fishing village on the Kent coast, was, and still is, famous for its variety of sea-fish and shellfish, and so the railway line became known as The Crab and Winkle line. Originally, goods were transported along the River Stour to Pegwell Bay, near Ramsgate, involving a seventy-mile meandering journey. The delightful coastal town of Whitstable was a mere seven miles north of Canterbury.

The building of the railway line was immensely popular with the hard-working people of Canterbury.

Workmen on the Line are Poisoned

The tragedy occurred in 1909 at Tyler Hill when a group of men working on the Whitstable Railway Line were poisoned. The men were waiting for the key at the level crossing, but one man, Setterfield, discovered a beer bottle. All the men drank some of the beer from the bottle, but all remarked it tasted rather bitter.

When they returned to work, a man called Jordan complained that he was feeling ill. The other workmen were alarmed when Jordan suddenly collapsed, and then, in about twenty minutes, he was dead. Jordan left a widow, Beatrice, and four children. The other men felt ill but eventually, they recovered.

Death by Strychnine

It was presumed that the bottle had been deliberately left close to the level crossing, with the intention of poisoning the gateman, Noble. By the date of the resumption of the inquest, Monday 12 June, no further progress had been made in identifying the murderer, in spite of checks on chemists supplying strychnine. This deadly poison was often mixed with beer to fool animals that were to be poisoned and so it was easily available.

The identity of the culprit was never discovered, and an open verdict on this terrible act was recorded.

The World's First Locomotive Passenger Railway

Today, the Canterbury to Whitstable Railway has disappeared, having been closed down after the Second World War. The footpath that replaces it still shows traces of the past. You can take this path for an easy walk through the idyllic countryside surrounding the city of Canterbury. It's just a few miles to the equally idyllic seaside resort of Whitstable and a delightful fish and chip dinner. An ideal opportunity to enjoy a healthy day out at the seaside, just as Canterbury people have always done.

Sources:

Canterbury Library Local Studies Collection, Canterbury.

Canterbury Streets, Janet Cameron, Tempus Publishing, 2004.

Rebel Jack Cade's Head Cut Off and Spiked on London Bridge

Traitors' head spiked on London Bridge
Public Domain

Jack Cade was, allegedly, of Irish origin, although he grew up in Sussex. It's claimed he was originally named Mortimer, but he murdered a woman in 1449. He fled to France, adopted the name "Cade" and returned to England. Cade became famous for leading a revolt in Kent in 1450. Few people would argue that the revolt was anything but just and necessary.

Jack Cade's behaviour, however, was disgraceful. The unrest that had been fermenting for some time erupted in earnest in the springtime of 1450, when the poverty-stricken peasants began to mutter against the corrupt and weak leadership of the King, and the unfair taxes levied upon them. Jack Cade produced a manifesto entitled: "The Complaint of the Poor Commons of Kent." This was an inventory of grievances against the unpopular government and it named MPs and lords.

In June, 20,000 rebels appeared at Blackheath, including not only peasants but shopkeepers and artisans, as well as the upper-classes. There were soldiers and sailors who had returned from France via the county. Intimidated, King Henry VI took off for safety in Warwickshire. The rebels advanced on Southwark, where they settled themselves in the White Hart Inn.

Jack Cade's rebels fight on London Bridge

On 3 July, the rebel band crossed London Bridge. At this point, Cade got carried away, and, brandishing his sword, he declared himself Lord Mayor of London. He led his followers to the Guildhall, then on to the Tower, with his demands. The mob captured the Lord Treasurer and speedily beheaded him, and then they set about decapitating other favourites of the King. Duly spiked, in medieval fashion, the heads were then raised in the air and placed together, nose-to-nose, as though they were kissing. As if this wasn't enough, Cade and his men started looting, an action contrary to his original promise when he began his march.

By the time they returned to Southwark, preparations had been made to prevent the bloodthirsty rebels from entering the city, and, around 10.00pm, a fight erupted on London Bridge, which continued until the following morning. The rebels suffered severe casualties and had to retreat. Finally, in response to the Archbishop, John Kemp, Cade agreed to calm his men in return for pardons and the fulfilment of his demands.

Jack Cade branded a traitor

Archbishop Kemp did not follow through. The following week, Jack Cade was to discover a most unpleasant truth: the government now considered him to be a traitor and a reward was offered for him, dead or alive. Cade died in a fight near Heathfield, East Sussex, on 12 July 1450 and his body was taken to London and quartered, the pieces being sent to different cities for display. His head stayed on a spike on London Bridge, along with those of his cohorts. The rebels themselves were pardoned, although after Cade's death, thirty-four more were executed.

This is a tragic story, since the cause was just and the men were brave - if only it hadn't all gone, both literally and metaphorically, to Jack Cade's head.

Sources:

Murder & Crime, Medway, Janet Cameron, Tempus Publishing, 2008.

This Sceptred Isle, Christopher Lee, Penguin History,/BBC Books, 1997.

Further Reading:

Prison Warships of the River Medway

War and Madness - the Tribulations of Buckingham Palace's First Royal Couple

George III, painting by Allan Ramsay
Public Domain

Buckingham House was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, whose son sold it to King George III in 1762. King George (1738-1820) came to the throne on 25 October 1760, and after his purchase, the property became his new London residence, replacing the disdained St. James’ Palace. Shortly after, his Queen, the beautiful and cultivated Charlotte, moved in and Buckingham House became Buckingham Palace.

George was England’s first Hanoverian monarch and remained so for sixty years, a tumultuous reign steeped in political instability. It saw the end of the Seven Years War in 1763, the punishing taxation of the American colonies in 1765, the Boston Tea Party in 1773, swiftly followed by the American War of Independence which lasted from 1775-1783. Later in his reign came the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, in all a period of enormous change.

King George and Princess Charlotte – a meeting of minds

Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a pretty girl of just eighteen, met King George on 8 September 1861, allegedly at around 3.00pm at St. James’ Palace. The young couple were immediately struck with each other and six hours later they crossed the road to the Chapel Royal and got married. Then, they actually fell in love and had fifteen children. Until the onset of George’s illness, it was a contented marriage. Their tastes were similar as they both loved the outdoors and a simple diet and the King earned the nickname, “Farmer George.”

Charlotte had a great interest in exotic animals and, in 1770 she had a pavilion built at the Botanical Gardens at Kew where guests could enjoy observing her special pets. Her prize possessions were some kangaroos from Botany Bay which she installed in a large paddock. George is said to have been faithful to Charlotte for all of his life.

Unfortunately, despite this promising start, George began to show signs of a strange illness, porphyria, suffering an attack in 1788, a few years before the outbreak of yet another war between England and France in 1793. Although we can now name this disease, it was neither named nor understood at the time. The illness is a hereditary condition due to a disease of the body’s metabolism, causing severe pain, delusions and mental confusion. Patients excrete a purple substance and the root of the word “porphyria” rests in the Greek word for the colour purple, “porphura.”

Troubled Queen Charlotte finds solace in food

George’s health deteriorated, as England struggled through the Napoleonic Wars. Charlotte, no doubt depressed and bewildered over her husband’s illness, lost her looks and her figure as she indulged in consuming enormous meals to comfort herself. She became impatient with George, and encouraged the misguided actions of his doctors. History is hard on her for this, but, of course, she had no idea why her husband was acting so strangely. Her gracious personality changed and she became increasingly demanding and unpleasant.

King George suffered further severe attacks in 1801 and 1804, then recovered for a few years, but finally relapsed into derangement in 1810/11. He was blind for the last years of his life. The tormented King was placed in the care of the Queen and a council of advisers, while the Prince of Wales became Regent of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Charlotte continued to visit her husband regularly, although he did not recognise her. Surprisingly, he outlived her; Queen Charlotte died in 1818, two years before her husband.

In 1820, after his father’s death, Farmer George’s son, George IV, commissioned architect John Nash, to improve the Palace. The work wasn’t completed until 1837. Further additions and changes were implemented by Queen Victoria and George V. The East Front, which is the part of the Palace viewed by the general public, was added between 1847 and 1853.

Sources:

The Kings & Queens of England and Scotland, Plantagenet Somerset Fry, Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1990.

This Sceptred Isle, Christopher Lee, Penguin Books/BBC Books, 1997.

History of the World, The Last Five Hundred Years, Multiple contributors, specifically unnamed, General

James Botting, Callous Executioner, Hated and Defiled by All

Botting was responsible for many agonised deaths. Photo Janet Cameron

Not far from West Street in Brighton, East Suessex, lived a man hated and defiled throughout Brighton and Hove.  At the time of our story, James Botting was aged 58 and on 1 October 1857, he fell out of his wheelchair at the corner of Codington Place and Montpelier Road.  Botting was so deeply shunned that no one would help him.  He was just left there to die, friendless and in pain. Did he deserve it?

Well, yes, actually, he did!

Botting was known as "Jemmy" and his dwelling place, just off Brighton's West Street became "Botting's Rookery" which he shared with Brighton's most disreputable beggars and vagrants. He survived on a pension of just 5s.0d. per week from the City Corporation of London.  This downturn in his fortune was, maybe, poetic justice, for Botting had been in former days Newgate's official hangman, as well as being employed by a number of other persons.  He was a vicious piece of work.  It's claimed that Botting had boasted that, with his assistant, he'd executed 175 people, men and women.  According to Newgate's records for mutliple hangings, Botting used a gantry type gallows with parallel beams above a foot-hinged platform.  Botting released this platform by a lever.  It's also claimed he allowed a drop of only a couple of feet, ensuring a slow and agonising death for his prisoners.

Botting's Most Famous Case

Botting executed James Fauntleroy, disgraced Brighton banker, in front of 100,000 people.  He also presided, in 1820, when the Cato Street Five, who'd plotted to murder senior members of the English Cabinet, were brought to justice.  Included in the five was a butcher, James Ings, who used to work in Cranbourne Street, Brighton.  After they were hanged, the five bodies were also decapitated.  Botting, however, was not permitted to carry out the second part of the sentence; instead a masked surgeon undertook the task.  They were the last legal beheadings in England.

A Teller of Stories

After Botting became paralysed and had to retire on his 5s.0d a week pension, he enjoyed telling stories about his former glory.  So when he fell, that was the end of him and Brighton breathed a great sigh of relief that it wouldn't have to hear the exploits of this unpleasant raconteur ever again.  The place of his death is where Waitrose supermarket now stands.

Botting's ghost, it's claimed, still shuffles its makeshift chair past the Half Moon pub in Boyce's Street, especially when it's dark and windy, so it's best to stay safely inside.


Adapted from Murders & Misdemeanours by Janet Cameron, published by Amberley Publishing, 2008.
Source: Brighton History Centre, Local Studies.