Murder Stones
Murder Stone – 2
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| Margaret Williams St. Catwg's church Cadoxton, Neath |
It is commemorating the murder of Margaret Williams. 26-year-old Margaret hailed from Carmarthen
and found employment in the local farm at Cadoxton. When she fell pregnant, Margaret was asked to
leave the farm.
The figure of suspicion of the murder was pointed to the
farmer’s son, Llewellyn Richard. After the
inquest, the jury couldn’t find enough evidence towards Llewellyn, and he was released. He soon left completely onboard a cargo ship
to America.
The headstone was erected with the echoing words Alton born
Quaker, Elijah Waring which reads:-
1823
To record MURDER
This stone was
erected over the body of MARGARET WILLIAMS
Aged 26
A Native of
Carmarthen
Living In
Service in this Parish
Who was found
dead with marks of violence on her person in a ditch on the marsh below this
churchyard on the morning of Sunday the Fourteenth of July 1822
Although the SAVAGE
MURDERER escaped for a season the detection of man of God had set his mark
upon him either for time of eternity and the cry of blood will assuredly pursue
him to certain and terrible but righteous JUDGEMENT
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| St. Illtyd's church Oxwich, Gower |
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| Unknown Sailor St. Illtyd's church Oxwich, Gower |
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| Unknown Sailor headstone St. Michael and All Angels church Thursley, Surrey |
September 1786, an Unknown Sailor was first recorded in the
Red Lion Inn, Old Portsmouth Road, Thursley, he was walking back from London to
join his ship docked in Portsmouth. Whilst
there he met three seafarers, James Marshall,
Michael Casey and Edward Lonegon.
The Unknown Sailor brought them all a drink and food. He was last seen in their company leaving
Hindhead Hill. The three men murdered
the Sailor and stripped him of his clothes.
The men making off with the clothes, a few hours later they were arrested
in the Sun Inn, Rake a few miles away trying to selling the clothes.
Six months later, April 1787, the three men were tried at Kingston
assizes, where they were found guilty. Two
days later, the three men were hanged in chins on gibbet, close to where the
murder took place.
The Unknown Sailor’s body was found, and he was buried at
St. Michael and All Angels church, Thursley. The parishioners and residents paid
for the headstone. Which bears this
inscription.
In memory of
A generous but
unfortunate Sailor
Who was barbarously
murder’d on Hindhead
On September 24th
1786
By three Villains
After he had liberally
treated them
And promise
them his father assistance
On the rod to
Portsmouth
When pitying
Eyes to see my grave shall come
And with a
generous tear bedew my tomb
Here shall they
read my melancholy Fate.
In perfect
Health and flower of Age
Fell victim to
three Raffians Rage,
On bended knee I
mercy stove to obtain
Their thrift
and Blood made all Entreaties vain
No dear
relation or still dearer Friend
Weeps my hard
lot or miserable End
Yet o’er my sad
Remains (my name unknown)
A generous
Public have inscribed this Stone.
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| Richard Court, Blacksmith St. Michael and All Angels church Thursley, Surrey |
Charles Dickens mentions the murder of the Unknown Sailor in
his novel Nicholas Nickleby, 1839.
“They [Nicholas Nickleby and Smike]
walked on the rim of the Devi’s Punch Bowl; and Smike listened with greedy interest
as Nicholas read the inscription upon the stone which, reared upon that wild
spot, tells of a murder committed there by night. The grass on which they stood,
had once been dyed with gore; and the blood of the murdered man had run down,
drop by drop, into the hollow which gives the place its name. ‘The Devil’s Bowl’,
though Nicholas, as he looked into the void, ‘never held fitter liquor than
that!’
Today, the headstone is listed as Grade I.
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