A Robbery at Gore Cross

On the side of the A360 near the hamlet of Gore Cross in Wiltshire there is a small, easy to miss, memorial to an event that occurred near the spot in 1839. The stone is denoted on the Ordnance Survey map as the “Robbers’ Stone” and it commemorates an attempted robbery that had an unfortunate end for the bandits in question.

The events described on the stone occurred on the evening of the 21st October 1839 when a Mr Dean, a farmer, from the now deserted ghost town of Imber was making his way home from the market at Devizes. As he approached Gore Cross along the Lavington Road he was accosted by four highway men. Apparently Mr Dean had the wits to pretend that he was not alone (he called out to an imaginary companion) and also went on the attack, using his horse-whip to fend of the robbers. Surprised by their potential victim’s response the robbers fled and Mr Dean gave chase, pursuing one of the robbers for three hours across the countryside.

It seems that the fleeing robber, Benjamin Colclough, was not up to the task of escaping Mr Dean and he eventually fell down dead in his tracks upon Chitterne Down. His three accomplices Thomas Saunders, George Waters and Richard Harris were eventually captured and tried for the attempted robbery, with their sentence being transportation for a term of 15 years.

The death of Benjamin Colclough on Chitterne Down is commemorated with a second “Robbers’ Stone”. Unfortunately however, the site of this second stone is today inside the “Danger Area” that is the Imber live firing range on Salisbury Plain, and as such access to the stone is strictly limited. An image of the stone can however be found on the Geograph website.

The stones were erected as a warning, to other potential highway men. To remind them that crime does not pay, and presumably also to warn them not to mess with Mr Dean the Farmer.

The inscriptions on the Gore Cross stone reads:

AT THIS SPOT

Mr. DEAN, of Imber. was

Attacked and Robbed by

Four Highwaymen, in the

evening of Octr. 21st. 1839.

After a spirited pursuit of

three hours one of the Felons

BENJAMIN COLCLOUGH

fell dead on Chitterne Down.

THOMAS SAUNDERS,

GEORGE WATERS, &

RICHARD HARRIS,

were eventually Captured,

and were convicted at the

ensuing Quarter Sessions at

Devizes, and Transported for

the term of Fifteen Years.

This Monument is erected

by Public Subscription

as a warning to those who

presumptuously think to

escape the punishment God

has threatened against

Thieves and Robbers.

The inscriptions on the Chitterne Down stone reads:

This Monument is erected

to record the awful end of

BENJAMIN COLCLOUGH

a Highway Robber who fell

Dead, on this Spot, in

attempting to escape his

Pursuers after Robbing

Mr Dean of Imber, in the

Evening of Oct 21st 1839,

and was buried at Chitterne

without Funeral Rights.

The robbery of the wicked

shall destroy them.

     Prov. 21. 7.

His three companions in

Iniquity

THOMAS SAUNDERS

GEORGE WATERS &

RICHARD HARRIS.

were captured & sentenced

at the ensuing Quarter

Sessions at Devizes to

Transportation for the

Term of Fifteen Years.

Though hand join in

hand the wicked shall

not be unpunished

     Prov 11. 21

The "Robber's Stone" at Gore Cross.

Pictures: Wiltshire (May 2015).