Gaols, Gallows and Ghosts
Author Richard Blacklee explains to Julia Thorley why he’s so fascinated by the rich and sometimes gruesome history of Northampton
Richard Blacklee’s knowledge of Northampton is extensive. The amateur historian and author has lived in this area most of his life, save for short periods in the south of England and a brief spell overseas.
“I was a chartered surveyor and worked in Northampton from about 1980. Until then I’d worked in South Africa for three years [his book A Race For Wealth is about the diamond business], but before that I’d been in Leicester and Bristol. On my return to England I was offered a job in Northampton so I ended up working mostly in Bridge Street and St Giles Street. I’d pass these buildings every day and not have a clue what they were. I’ve been a member of the Northampton & County Club since about 1980 and I still didn’t realise the significance of the county buildings and the gaol next door.”
His first book was The Culworth Gang, the story of a notorious gang of highwaymen who operated in the south of the county in the late 18th century.
“My cousin Helen had researched our family tree. Our great-granny’s maiden name was Bowers and Helen had traced her back to the days of the highwaymen. One of them who was hanged in Northampton was a member of the Culworth Gang. I wrote up Helen’s research, and then I wrote the story of the gang. Next I set about finding out where they’d been tried and imprisoned, which was the Sessions House and the county gaol. There was no guidebook available, but I spent a lot of time researching and going round the buildings.”
This research led to his book, Gaols, Gallows and Ghosts. This is comprised of a series of short history walks around the area, together with extended sections with more detailed information about the buildings. It covers the Sessions House, County Hall, Northampton & County Club, the Judges’ Lodgings, St Giles’ Square, the Museum and Art Gallery, the Guildhall Road block, the centre of Northampton and Angel Lane police station. There is also extra information about punishments of the time, prison conditions and hangings from the site. His research has revealed some fascinating glimpses into the past of the town.
“The Sessions House on George Row is a wonderful Grade I listed building. At the back it has a half-round council chamber built in 1890, and it’s packed with old pictures, including portraits of all the council leaders over the years. When there’s a High Court case in Northampton the judge still uses the Judges’ Lodgings, which is the building to the east of the Sessions House.
“In the garden there is a plaque built into the wall that dates from the 1660s. It reads, ‘Joseph Maidwell in prison for not swearing 1664.’ That was just after the Restoration and he refused to swear an oath to Charles II. There were quite a few dissenters in Northampton who didn’t agree with the replacement bible, and they refused to recognise the king because they’d been on the Parliamentarian side during the Civil War. They were imprisoned in the dungeons, and many died through overcrowding, the horrendous conditions and ‘gaol fever’.”
There are still mysteries to solve, however.
“Most of the buildings were built around 1675–80, after the fire of Northampton. Downstairs in the County Club there’s a magnificent vaulted cellar – similar to the crypt under All Saints Church, only finer – and, more than that, there have been some medieval windows discovered at first-floor level at both ends, east and west. I think almost certainly they date back to before the 14th century and could well have had a religious use. I’ve had [archaeology and built heritage practice] MOLA down to look at it, but although they said they’d love to come and do an investigation, they said they hadn’t got time or funding. There are columns in this undercroft that stop several feet above the original floor level; you can’t see the plinth. A huge amount of research has been done over the last few years into the history of the cellar, but we now need someone to come and look at it and take it on as a project. It needs someone to come and dig a hole and find out what the original floor level was.
“We know it was used as a pit for cock-fighting, because there have been bones found, complete with metal spurs, but it could also have been used as a wine cellar. Apparently the George Hotel next door had the finest cock-pit in the county in the 17th century. It could also have been used by friars and monks, because there is an aumbry where they used to keep religious documents.”
Richard gives talks on his books and his research into the history of Northampton.
“People often come up after my talks and say, ‘I used to work in those buildings’ or ‘I’ve been walking past those buildings for years and had no idea what they used to be used for.’ However. I don’t see any young people at the talks I give and there’s never anyone young at the history societies I visit; but I wasn’t interested until I retired and you think, well, if I don’t take an interest now and start recording it it’s going to get lost.
“We have a two-acre site in the middle of town with buildings dating back to the 18th century and we should take more care of them. The Sessions House, for instance, has some magnificent full-length paintings of William and Mary and Queen Anne from the 1680s. They are invaluable but weren’t insured or listed, though I’m pleased to say they are now, but the roof was leaking and dripping on one of these priceless pictures. There are these fabulous buildings at the heart of the site, but there’s talk now of [one of them] being turned into flats or social housing. Wouldn’t it be nice to think that funding could be obtained to make it into a heritage centre or something?”
The subject of Richard’s next book is a closely guarded secret. All he will say is that it’s a story of robbery, murder and ghostly hauntings.
“Truth is definitely scarier than fiction!”
Richard’s books are available online, from George’s Café and from the bookshop at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery. He can be contacted by email: richard.blacklee@btinternet.com
Fascinating to hear true stories about Northampton history. Back in 1988, I used to work as a Senior Principal Accountant for Northamptonshire County Council. From my office window I could see the Royal theatre and Derngate. I remembered frequently passing by the Goals. The room were small, dark and had very small windows located very high almost to the ceiling. I was also told that there was a tunnel from the prison to the "Wig and Pen" pub. After the WW2 the tunnel had been closedown. I would definitely like to read Richard book.