The Macabre Practice of “Hanging in Chains
A Dire Admonition to Potential Lawbreakers
Punishment has always been a means for societies to maintain order and discourage criminal behavior. Throughout history, authorities have developed increasingly severe methods to punish offenders and dissuade potential wrongdoers. One particularly gruesome practice that reached its peak in 18th-century England was the use of the gibbet.
Origins and Implementation of the Gibbet
Tracing its roots back to the Medieval era, the gibbet gained popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries. Similar to the guillotine, executioner’s block, impalement stake, or gallows, gibbeting involved displaying the bodies of criminals in human-shaped cages, known as “hanging in chains.”
The Formal Codification and Spectacle of Gibbeting
Despite its long-standing use, the practice of gibbeting was officially codified in England by the Murder Act of 1752. This decree mandated that murderers be gibbeted or dissected, but it was also applied to traitors, robbers, highwaymen, and pirates. Notably, the infamous pirate Captain Kidd was gibbeted in chains in London in 1701, serving as a cautionary example for aspiring pirates.
Ironically, the gibbeting of criminals became a significant public spectacle, attracting crowds of onlookers. However, there were instances where gibbeting backfired, especially under unpopular rulers. During the early 14th century, King Edward II ordered the bodies of rebels Henry of Montfort and Henry of Wylynton to be gibbeted near Bristol. Due to Edward II’s unpopularity, the gibbets became symbols of rebellion, with some even attributing miracles to their presence.
The Decline and Abolition of Gibbeting
As the grisly practice lost popularity, it was officially abolished in England in 1834, a decision that is easily understandable in retrospect. Living near a gibbet was highly unpleasant, as authorities intentionally made them difficult to dismantle. Some gibbets hung from 30-foot posts or were studded with nails to deter removal. These cages often remained until the bodies decomposed into skeletons, with the stench forcing nearby residents to close their windows and endure the eerie clanking of the swaying gibbets.
The logistical challenges of staging executions by gibbet and the lack of standardized cage designs further contributed to its decline. Many people opposed the practice as barbaric, and some Christians considered it disrespectful to display the dead.
Legacy of the Gibbet
Despite its abolition, remnants of gibbeting can still be found in England. Numerous gibbet cages are preserved in small museums, and many places bear the names of gibbeted criminals, serving as a somber reminder of this brutal historical practice. Despite its notorious reputation, gibbeting did not achieve its intended effect of reducing crime, leading to its eventual cessation.
After delving into the grisly history of gibbeting, explore the final words of 23 infamous criminals before their executions and uncover the brutal history of immurement, where victims were entombed alive.
