Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The former site of Dover's Gallows is situated on the junction of Bridge Street/Tower Hamlets Road with High Street/ London Road. The gallows were last used for the public execution of 21 year old Alexander Spence in 1822 (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• GALLOWS (Post Medieval - 1700 AD? to 1822 AD)

Full description

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The former site of Dover's Gallows is situated on the junction of Bridge Street/Tower Hamlets Road with High Street/ London Road. The gallows were last used for the public execution of 21 year old Alexander Spence in 1822. (1) Bavington Jones writes 'on the rising ground at the upper corner, facing Bridge Street, was the place of execution of the condemned felons of Dover and its Liberties. Those executions were frequent occurrences and were very sad and revolting scenes. The central object was a poor unfortunate person conveyed in a cart, with a coffin beside him ready to receive his body, and the Chaplain of the Corporation imparted last words of counsel and comfort to his soul. The cart so laden was surrounded and followed by an excited mob, on whom the object-lesson was supposed to have a moral effect, although it was quite the contrary. The hanging took place on the high ground on the left entrance to Tower Hamlets Road, and the windows of the Black Horse Tavern, at the opposite corner of Tower Hamlets Road, offered a point of vantage to sightseers who did not care to jostle with the crowd.' (2)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2008, Report on a Watching-brief at Bank Court, Branch Street, Dover (Unpublished document). SKE16176.

<2> J. Bavington Jones, 1907, Dover; A Perambulation of the Town, Port and Fortress. (Monograph). SKE32120.

Sources and further reading