 |
The Gibbet Mill, Great Saughall
The Gibbet Mill takes its name from a murder that took place in the vicinity. In 1750, four Irish harvesters were travelling to Parkgate on their way back to Ireland, when three of them attacked the fourth and killed him. They robbed the body of money and clothes and deposited the corpse in a ditch. They made the mistake of spending some of their booty in a local inn, where they were caught. During the assize trial, one of the murderers gave evidence against his companions, who were subsequently hanged at Boughton. The two bodies were hung up in irons near the Two Mills on the heath as a warning to their countrymen, who had recently been causing trouble in that part of the country. The present windmill is probably of a slightly later date, possibly the 1770s, but it has acquired the sobriquet nonetheless. The mill continued to grind corn until 1926. After falling into ruin, it was restored and is now a private house. |
|
