Alice Glaston (c. 1535 – 13 April 1546) was an 11-year-old English girl from Little Wenlock who was hanged in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England, under the reign of Henry VIII.[1][2][3] She is likely the youngest girl ever to be legally executed in England, though 8- or 9-year-old John Dean was hanged for arson in 1629.[3] The crime for which she was hanged is unknown, but it is speculated that she was accused of either murder or witchcraft.[4] She was hanged with two other people.[5] Sir Thomas Butler, vicar of Much Wenlock, records Glaston's burial at his church.[6]
Alice Glaston | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1535 Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England |
| Died | 13 April 1546 (aged 11) Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Criminal status |
|
| Conviction(s) | Unknown |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
In October 2014, writer Paul Evans released The Spirit Child, a speculative supernatural radio play about the events leading to her execution.[7]
See also edit
- Capital punishment in the United Kingdom
- John Dean, 8- or 9-year-old boy who was the youngest person executed in the history of England
- Hannah Ocuish
- Mary (slave)
References edit
- ^ Butler, Sir Thomas (1861). The Cambrian Journal, 49. London. p. 89.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Alice Glaston". 19 March 2010.
- ^ a b "Children & juvenile executions".
- ^ Samantha Lyon (2013). A Grim Almanac of Shropshire. The History Press. ISBN 9780752489445.
- ^ deVire, David (2016). Tail of the Tigress: Views on the Road to Gender Equality. Backdaw Publishing. p. 211. ISBN 9780995457614.
- ^ BUTLER, Sir Thomas (1861). Extracts from the Register of Sir Thomas Butler, Vicar of Much Wenlock, in Shropshire [1538-1562] ... By the Rev. Charles Henry Hartshorne. Reprinted from the "Cambrian Journal," etc. R. Mason. p. 11.
- ^ "The Spirit Child". The Radio Times. 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
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