Until the 1880s a gallows on Gun Hill, Staffordshire Moorlands, U.K. stood as a grim memorial to John Naden, whose decomposing body hung there in chains after his execution in 1731. John Naden murdered his master Robert Brough, apparently at the instigation of the victims wife. When the drunken Naden returned home and told her what he had done, she at once went out and rifled the dead mans pockets to make it look as though he had been way- laid by thieves.
The photo above is one of the stiles that can be found on Gun Hill which is thought to contain timber from John Nadens gallows. Photo by Gary Tacagni.
But she had failed to notice Nadens knife lying beside the corpse. This was sufficient to secure the murderers conviction. Tradition does not record whether the wife was tried as an accomplice, but ironically it was ordered that Naden should be executed outside her door.
I found this piece of timber on Gun Hill not far from one of the stiles, I believe that this could be a part of the gibbet which John Naden was hung from. Photo by Gary Tacagni.
After the execution John Nadens body was gibbeted on Gun Hill where it was left to rot as a warning to others, when the gallows were at last removed the timbers were used to construct local field stiles. Some people believe that these stiles are still haunted by John Nadens ghost!
A view from Gun Hill across the Cheshire plain. Photo by Gary Tacagni.
