Alice Glaston, the true story

Alice Glaston was born in the rural village of Little Wenlock (on the edge of modern day Telford, Shropshire) in 1535. This was a turbulent time in Englands history. Henry VIII was married to Anne Boleyn and executions were not just a punishment, they were a culture.

Alice lived during a time where religion ruled the land. Where not attending church could land you in stocks, and where children worked.

In 1546 At the age of 11 years old, we believe Alice would have worked on the farm, and been one of the main bread winners in her home. Little Wenlock was a poor farming community in the centre of Shropshire. Life was tough.

Then, for reasons still not fully known to us, Alice was arrested, imprisoned, tortured, tried and executed. Whilst her “crime” is not fully known, we believe that it was almost certainly witchcraft. There were no child murders recorded in the area (and it’s highly unlikely she was capable of murdering an adult). She was also unlikely to have been found guilty of treason, as she was tried locally and was probably not seen as a threat to the crown. She could have been found guilty of theft, however executions of children were shocking, even for the times. What is interesting however, is that the Witchcraft Act had only been passed 3 years prior. This was the hey day of witch trials in England, and is something judges may have been comfortable hanging someone so young for.

At the tender age of 11, Alice was held in the cell at Much Wenlock Guildhall. We do not know how long for, or whether or not she was isolated.

On the 13th April 1546, Alice was either walked, or taken by cart to a field in Wenlock Edge, known today as Gallows Tree Leasowe. This ordinary looking field, only a few acres in size holds a sinister secret. In 1546, a towering Dule Tree would have stood firm on a mound upon the site, where Alice met her fate alongside Wm. Harper and John Dodd. The sad truth is that owing to the way in which hangings were carried out at the time, Alice may have taken longer to lose consciousness than any other prior victim of this execution method.

Alice Glaston was a victim of her time and people’s fear.

Alice Glaston is the youngest girl ever legally executed in English history.