Remember, Remember

On the 8th November 1605, Sir Richard Walsh, the Sheriff of Worcestershire shouted the order to ‘FIRE!’ as a handful of desperate and injured men ran from Holbeche House in Staffordshire! Sir Richard Walsh had been trying to talk the men out of the house peacefully and failed. His force of 200 Worcestershire Militia were aiming their Muskets at the door of the property and followed their leaders order exactly. They opened fired.

As the gun powder smoke began to clear, on that cold autumnal day, several men lay screaming in pain on the damp grass. Thomas Percy and Robert Catesby had been brought down by the same lead bullet, fired by John Streete, a Worcester man and long serving member of the Militia. The wounded men were holding swords and daggers, which were quickly kicked to one side, and the men arrested for being involved in what would become one of the most famous assassination attempts in history - The Gun Powder Plot of 1605.

The plot began in the early months of 1604, when Robert Catesby, a well-known Catholic began to test the water by asking fellow Catholics if they would be involved in removing King James I (VI) from the throne and placing his daughter, the Princess Elizabeth on the throne and then manipulating her to re-establish Catholicism in England.

Some historians would argue that the treasonous plotting has its roots back to Henry VIII and the break with the Catholic Church. Religion was a delicate subject, even more so the sixteenth and seventeenth Centuries. Catholics were forced to pay a fine for not attending the Church of England services and from 1585, it was illegal for Priests to step foot in England!

Worcestershire was one of the Counties that had a great many Catholic families and in many cases their fine homes still stand today. Many of these families continued to worship secretly and from makeshift Chapels in their homes. The Habbington Family lived at Hindlip Hall, the Wintours at Huddington Court and the Lyttletons at Hagley Hall. The beautiful Harvington Hall, was owned by the Packingtons.

Harvington Hall has the largest collection of Priest Holes in Britain. Priests Holes were used to hide Priests who illegally held services in Catholic homes. At Harvington Hall there are at least seven carefully hidden hideouts. Folding Staircases, fake fireplaces and timber beams that can be moved from behind book cases to reveal a secret room!

Nicholas Owen was the architect of these secret hiding places. Members of the Worcestershire Militia and State Officials watched these homes and searched them regularly in a hope of catching a Priest!

The Plotters met in Worcestershire and details were arranged in London also, in the summer of 1605. If everything went to plan and Guy Fawkes succeeded in killing the King, Robert Catesby and his fellow plotters would start a rebellion across the Midlands, ending with the young Princess being the puppet monarch. This land would become Catholic once again. the evening of the 4th and 5th November 1605. He was hiding next to a pile of fire wood, which was also concealing 36 Barrels of Gunpowder. A fuse was set ready for the State Opening of the Parliament. Guy had to wait and light the fuse that would probably have killed him and destroyed most of the City of London!

After a lengthy period of Investigation, many arrests were made and trial dates set. Catholics were not trusted. Humphrey Lyttleton , John Wintour Ralph Ashley, a man called Perks and even Father Oldcorne had all been arrested in Worcestershire and held in the City of Worcester.

They were dragged backwards on sleds pulled by horses from the old Castle, where King’s School now stands, and under Sidbury Gate. When they reached Red Hill they were executed in the horrifying way reserved for Traitors! They were hanged to within an inch of their lives, disembowelled and their Privy parts removed and burnt in front of them. The grisly scene ended with their beheading and quartering in front of the crowd who had followed their procession from the City Walls to the infamous hill above the City. Today a memorial Cross stands at the site and can be visited.

As we always say, Worcestershire has seen all the Chapters in the History of Great Britain and in some cases the History of the World. We believe this makes our County very special. n By Paul Harding Discover History Facebook and YouTube - Discover History Instagram and Twitter -DiscoverHISTPH www.discover-history.co.uk

Discover History is an award winning education and Living History Performance Company based in Worcester. They specialise in the local history of Worcestershire and deliver school workshops and history days, living history performances and talks across Britain.