As you walk along the Thames, dodging joggers and tourists, it’s hard to imagine that this same riverbank was once lined with swinging, tar-coated corpses—gruesome reminders that crime did not pay. For London’s riverside was once home to one of the grisliest sights imaginable: gibbet cages, swinging in the wind, cradling the rotting remains of executed criminals. A little less Instagrammable than Tower Bridge, but infinitely more effective as a deterrent—at least, that was the theory.
What Were Gibbet Cages?
A gibbet cage was essentially a metal framework designed to hold a human body—preferably deceased. After execution, usually by hanging, criminals (particularly highwaymen, pirates, and murderers) were placed into these cages and suspended from wooden gibbets in highly visible locations. The idea was simple: let the sight and smell of decaying flesh serve as a warning to would-be wrongdoers.
This form of posthumous punishment, known as gibbeting, was not unique to London, but the capital had its fair share of notorious examples. These skeletal reminders of crime and punishment were left to the mercy of the elements and scavenging birds, often remaining in place for years. One can only imagine the effect this had on property prices.
Where Could You Find Them in London?
Some of the most infamous sites for gibbet cages in London were located along the Thames, particularly in areas associated with piracy and smuggling.
- Execution Dock, Wapping – Perhaps the most notorious location, Execution Dock was where maritime criminals met their end. The bodies of hanged pirates were often placed in gibbet cages and left dangling over the Thames at low tide, only for the rising waters to wash over them three times—a traditional maritime touch.
- Blackwall and Rotherhithe – These riverside locations also played host to swinging remains, particularly for crimes committed on or near the water.
- Kennington Common and Hounslow Heath – Though not by the Thames, these were known sites for gibbeting, especially for highwaymen who had terrorised passing travellers.
If you think rush-hour traffic is bad now, imagine trying to commute past a rotting corpse in a cage, its bones rattling in the wind.
Famous Cases of Gibbeting
Several unfortunate criminals gained posthumous notoriety through their prominent display in gibbet cages. Among them:
- Captain William Kidd (1701) – The infamous Scottish pirate was hanged at Execution Dock before his body was coated in tar and suspended in an iron cage at Tilbury Point. His remains were left for three years, making him one of the most famous victims of gibbeting.
- James ‘Blueskin’ Blake (1724) – A notorious highwayman and associate of Jack Sheppard, Blake attempted to cut the throat of the thief-taker Jonathan Wild. He was executed and gibbeted as a warning to others who might challenge the law.
- John Breads (1750) – A butcher from Rye who murdered a man, thinking he was someone else (an early case of mistaken identity with fatal consequences). His body was placed in an iron gibbet and displayed for many years.
What Was It Like to See a Gibbet Cage?
Unpleasant, to say the least. Contemporary accounts describe the smell as overpowering, particularly in the summer months, when London’s already questionable air quality was not improved by the addition of decomposing flesh. The sight of bodies, often covered in tar to slow decomposition, swaying in the wind, was an eerie and unmistakable presence on the landscape.
Gibbets also became grim landmarks. Travellers used them for navigation (“Turn left at the corpse, you can’t miss it”), while locals told ghost stories about the spirits of the executed haunting their cages. Some cages reportedly creaked in the night, leading to speculation that the souls of the criminals were trying to escape their fate.
The End of Gibbeting
Gibbeting was never a common punishment—more of a special occasion horror show—but it lasted longer than one might expect. The Murder Act of 1752 formalised the practice, allowing judges to order that executed murderers be either dissected or gibbeted. However, the growing sensibilities of the 19th century saw a decline in its use. The last recorded instance of gibbeting in Britain was that of James Cook (not the explorer, a different James Cook) in 1832. After that, the practice was quietly abandoned, possibly because it was considered a little too macabre for a society moving towards Victorian respectability.
Where Can You See a Gibbet Cage Today?
While no original gibbets remain in London’s streets, some museums house remnants or replicas of these grim structures:
- The Clink Prison Museum (Southwark) – Features exhibits on historical punishments, including gibbeting.
- The Museum of London Docklands – Offers insights into the maritime crimes that led many to Execution Dock and their final fate in a gibbet cage.
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