The Farnley Wood Plot
Encyclopedia
The Farnley Wood Plot was a conspiracy in northern England in October 1663. Intended as a major rising to overturn the return to monarchy in 1660, it was undermined by informers, and came to nothing.
The major plotters were Joshua Greathead and Captain Thomas Oates, operating primarily in Farnley, West Yorkshire, but also with links to Gildersome
, Morley, West Yorkshire
and Leeds
. The aim was to capture and overthrow the Royalist
strongholds of Leeds city centre. The plot was disbanded on 12 October 1663. Twenty-six men were arrested, imprisoned and then hanged, drawn and quartered
as traitors.
of the monarchy and government by Charles II
, the son of executed and defeated king Charles I
, there was still division in the nation. Fear of Catholicism continued, with the success of the Counter Reformation in Europe and the military successes of Louis XIV. The religious settlement had re-established the Church of England, but presbyterians and other dissenters were suspicious of what they interpreted as its 'Popish' practices. Charles II was at the very least sympathetic to Catholicism.
Paul Hobson
, a Particular Baptist preacher, was involved in the planning of the rebellion in the north; but he was arrested on 20 August. He was later accused of having turned informer.
's army, and had led his own squadron. He e was a resident in Gildersome
, one of the nearest villages to Farnley. The second character was Captain Oates of Morley
.
The main objective of the plot may have been to storm the city of Leeds
. On the morning of the 12th October, the group of around twenty six men had disbanded and the plot was deemed a failure. The group of men, mostly local farmers and businessmen, did not want to fight in battle; and there had been a poor turn-out. The men disbanded and headed back to their villages. Farnley is located halfway between Leeds and the town of Morley, and, largely wooded and it provided an opportunity to meet in numbers.
In fact Greathead turned informer after being over-ruled by the plans made by Oates. When the group disbanded on October 12, Greathead alerted the authorities, who set in action the arrests of twenty-six people.
. They were executed for treason
, though three of them (Robert Atkins, John Errington and Henry Wilson) did manage to escape to Leeds. They hid in an inn, but were finally arrested once more. On 14 January, 1664, they were sentenced to death for treason. They were transported to Chapeltown
Moor, where a gallows
had been constructed. They were hung by chains, before being dissected. The executioner, a local joiner of the name Peter Mason, cut off the three heads, and preserved them. The following day, they were stuck on the railings of Moot Hall. In 1677 the skulls were blown down in a gale.
Others implicated included Thomas Palmer. The authorities rounded up others, parliamentarian supporters including Thomas Jollie
, Richard Salwey
, Robert Venables
and Henry Wilkinson
.
When the Cavalier Parliament
met again in early 1664, it repealed the Triennial Act. This legislative step has been attributed to the effect on domestic politics of the uncovering of the ramifications of the plot for a northern rebellion.
Articles
The major plotters were Joshua Greathead and Captain Thomas Oates, operating primarily in Farnley, West Yorkshire, but also with links to Gildersome
Gildersome
Gildersome is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough 5 miles south west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England....
, Morley, West Yorkshire
Morley, West Yorkshire
Morley is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately south-west of Leeds city centre. Together with Drighlington, Gildersome, Churwell, Tingley and East/West Ardsley, the town had a population of 47,579 in...
and Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. The aim was to capture and overthrow the Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
strongholds of Leeds city centre. The plot was disbanded on 12 October 1663. Twenty-six men were arrested, imprisoned and then hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
as traitors.
Background
After the RestorationEnglish Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of the monarchy and government by Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, the son of executed and defeated king Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, there was still division in the nation. Fear of Catholicism continued, with the success of the Counter Reformation in Europe and the military successes of Louis XIV. The religious settlement had re-established the Church of England, but presbyterians and other dissenters were suspicious of what they interpreted as its 'Popish' practices. Charles II was at the very least sympathetic to Catholicism.
Paul Hobson
Paul Hobson
Captain Paul Hobson was an antinomian Particular Baptist who served in the parliamentary army during the English Civil War.He was one of the signatories to the Baptist Confession of 1644, who later adopted Fifth Monarchy ideas.-References:...
, a Particular Baptist preacher, was involved in the planning of the rebellion in the north; but he was arrested on 20 August. He was later accused of having turned informer.
The plot
The Plot was launched by two main players, one being Joshua Greathead, a local squire who had fought in the Civil War in Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's army, and had led his own squadron. He e was a resident in Gildersome
Gildersome
Gildersome is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough 5 miles south west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England....
, one of the nearest villages to Farnley. The second character was Captain Oates of Morley
Morley, West Yorkshire
Morley is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately south-west of Leeds city centre. Together with Drighlington, Gildersome, Churwell, Tingley and East/West Ardsley, the town had a population of 47,579 in...
.
The main objective of the plot may have been to storm the city of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. On the morning of the 12th October, the group of around twenty six men had disbanded and the plot was deemed a failure. The group of men, mostly local farmers and businessmen, did not want to fight in battle; and there had been a poor turn-out. The men disbanded and headed back to their villages. Farnley is located halfway between Leeds and the town of Morley, and, largely wooded and it provided an opportunity to meet in numbers.
In fact Greathead turned informer after being over-ruled by the plans made by Oates. When the group disbanded on October 12, Greathead alerted the authorities, who set in action the arrests of twenty-six people.
Aftermath
The arrested men were taken to await the assizes in York, where they were remanded in Clifford's towerYork Castle
York Castle in the city of York, England, is a fortified complex comprising, over the last nine centuries, a sequence of castles, prisons, law courts and other buildings on the south side of the River Foss. The now-ruinous keep of the medieval Norman castle is sometimes referred to as Clifford's...
. They were executed for treason
High treason in the United Kingdom
Under the law of the United Kingdom, high treason is the crime of disloyalty to the Crown. Offences constituting high treason include plotting the murder of the sovereign; having sexual intercourse with the sovereign's consort, with his eldest unmarried daughter, or with the wife of the heir to the...
, though three of them (Robert Atkins, John Errington and Henry Wilson) did manage to escape to Leeds. They hid in an inn, but were finally arrested once more. On 14 January, 1664, they were sentenced to death for treason. They were transported to Chapeltown
Chapeltown, West Yorkshire
Chapeltown is a suburb of north-east Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England, and is the centre of the city's British African-Caribbean community. It is approximately one mile north of Leeds city centre...
Moor, where a gallows
Gallows
A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging, or by means to torture before execution, as was used when being hanged, drawn and quartered...
had been constructed. They were hung by chains, before being dissected. The executioner, a local joiner of the name Peter Mason, cut off the three heads, and preserved them. The following day, they were stuck on the railings of Moot Hall. In 1677 the skulls were blown down in a gale.
Others implicated included Thomas Palmer. The authorities rounded up others, parliamentarian supporters including Thomas Jollie
Thomas Jollie
Thomas Jollie was an English Dissenter, a minister ejected for his beliefs from the Church of England.-Biography:Thomas Jollie was born at Droylsden, near Manchester, on 14 September 1629, and baptised on 29 September at Gorton Chapel, then in the parish of Manchester...
, Richard Salwey
Richard Salwey
Richard Salwey was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1645 and 1659. He was a republican in politics and fought on the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War.-Life:...
, Robert Venables
Robert Venables
Robert Venables , was a soldier during the English Civil War and noted angler.Venables was lieutenant-colonel in the parliamentary army. He was wounded at Chester in 1645. He was appointed governor of Liverpool in 1648. He served with success in Ireland from 1649 until 1654...
and Henry Wilkinson
Henry Wilkinson (dean)
Henry Wilkinson was an English clergyman and academic, Principal of Magdalen Hall, Oxford and Whyte's Professor of Moral Philosophy, and later an ejected minister.-Life:...
.
When the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
met again in early 1664, it repealed the Triennial Act. This legislative step has been attributed to the effect on domestic politics of the uncovering of the ramifications of the plot for a northern rebellion.
Further reading
Books- Goor. Ken (2006). Haunted Leeds, NPI Media Group, ISBN 0752440160
Articles
- Hopper, Andrew. The Farnley Wood Plot and the memory of the Civil Wars in Yorkshire, The Historical Journal (2002), 45: 281-303 Cambridge University Press
- Staff, Local Legends: The competing legends of Farnley Wood, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...