Beverley, a town in East Yorkshire, has a fascinating history as a sanctuary town for fugitives who claimed sanctuary by taking an oath at a tall stone cross on the outskirts of the town. These stones were also known as “sanctuary stones” marking the boundary of the safe space within which fugitives could claim sanctuary and avoid rough justice. Hangings took place at the end of Gallows Lane near the Beverley racecourse while prisons were rare outside of London. According to the Rev Canon Jonathan Baker, the vicar of Beverley Minster, the concept of sanctuary goes back to the Old Testament. He states, “The idea of the cities of refuge was to stop that from happening.” and that the idea of sanctuary was to protect people who were guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder, from rough justice, where the relatives of the victim might get a posse together and go in pursuit of the perpetrators. Beverley has a long tradition of offering sanctuary to refugees, murderers, thieves, and debtors until the reign of Henry VIII when it died out because he saw it as a symbol of the power of the Church. However, Beverley is still seen as a place of sanctuary, a place where one can get things in perspective and a piece of the bigger picture.
According to the BBC’s Hidden East Yorkshire podcast, the story behind the beasts of Doggerland is another intriguing tale. The beasts that once roamed the land that is now East Yorkshire once had settlers from ancient Doggerland, as evidenced by the remains of their tools found at Tophill Low. The area was a wet, boggy landscape of trees, open water, rivers, springs, and bogs and was known for the eerie blue glow of will-o’-the-wisp, which was methane from peat beds burning over the top of the marshes. These settlers who lived, fished, hunted and eventually farmed in the area, were surrounded by water, and during the winter, floods would come. Funny noises in the night, like the booming of the bittern, sounded eerie and mystical, and members of their family would probably go out hunting and never come back again, inventing stories about mystical beasts that had got them. Richard Myerscough, a geologist and member of the Tophill Low Archaeological and Historical Survey Team, states that today these stories survive as evidence of their enduring power, having been passed down from generation to generation.
The Hidden East Yorkshire podcast also includes a wide range of topics, from unmasking Jack the Ripper to the day The Beatles went to Hull. Available on BBC Sounds, each episode covers intriguing tales and curious stories from the history of East Yorkshire, providing us with a link to the past and an understanding of what life was like during these times. These tales are an interesting way of reminding us how the past shapes our places and how we can learn from it. They also remind us that myths and legends have an enduring power, which can still fascinate us today.
Beverley is still a beautiful market town, and the sanctuary stones are still there, reminding us of the town’s unique history. The town stands as a symbol of sanctuary where people could once find refuge in the face of danger, reminding us of the importance of these values today. The Hidden East Yorkshire podcast is an excellent way to learn more about the fascinating history of this town and the region overall
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