12

This statement of the law in days of old is a staple of saloon-bar conversation, but is it actually true that it was legal to hang any Welshman found within the walls of Chester after sunset?

Some versions of the story have it as Shrewsbury and Hereford.

Improve this question
2
  • can you share a link to your source.
    – Kortuk
    May 14, 2011 at 9:33
  • 1
    @Kortuk, Sadly I cannot; as I mentioned in the question, this is common taproom "knowledge" and I was asking here to check on the truth of the matter.
    – Brian Hooper
    May 14, 2011 at 17:53

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
14

Cheshire West & Chester council said

The story about the Welsh being excluded from Chester after dark originated during the Glyndwr rebellion of 1403. Henry, Prince of Wales (future Henry V) was also Earl of Chester and on 4 Sept 1403 he ordered that all Welsh people and Welsh sympathisers should be expelled from the City; none should enter the city before sunrise or stay after sunset on pain of decapitation (not hanging, but it would have the same effect!). There are records of people standing surety for the good behaviour of Welshmen arrested under the order. The text books don't refer to anyone ever paying the maximum penalty for this 'crime'. Concern over 'the Welsh threat' continued into the 15th century and Chester was seen very much as a border town. There is no record that Henry V's order was ever repealed.

So it was not a freedom granted to anybody, but a wartime instruction to the City authorities soon after the Battle of Shrewsbury, similar to a selective curfew. In any case, within five years the citizens of Chester elected a Welsh mayor, John Ewloe, who did not arrest or execute himself.

Improve this answer
5
  • I've also heard that the law is still in place today, although obviously not enforced. Any word on this?
    – MSpeed
    Jun 6, 2011 at 15:00
  • 7
    @billynomates: The quote says "There is no record that Henry V's order was ever repealed", but it also makes clear that this was an wartime instruction to the local authorities, not a law.
    – Henry
    Jun 6, 2011 at 15:07
  • Ha, oh yes, I skimmed over it really. I'm just glad I'm not at risk any more.
    – MSpeed
    Jun 6, 2011 at 15:40
  • Any chance the Welsh mayor worked remotely or traveled to his office from outside the town?
    – John Dvorak
    Jan 21, 2018 at 19:24
  • Unlikely since he had a grand home in Chester near Cuppin Lane and Bridge Street, well within the walls: discover.medievalchester.ac.uk/learn-more/characters/7
    – Henry
    Jan 21, 2018 at 20:02

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .