Kennington Common: The Jacobite Execution Ground

Kennington Common in south London was once a large open space used for public gatherings, fairs, and executions. Its most notorious use came in 1746, following the defeat of the Jacobite rebellion led by Bonnie Prince Charlie. Scottish prisoners captured after the Battle of Culloden were brought to London and subjected to the horrific punishment of being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Kennington Common. The site is now built over, but the area—particularly near Kennington Park—remains haunted by the tortured spirits of the executed Jacobites.

The History

The 1745 Jacobite Rebellion

The context for the executions:

• Bonnie Prince Charlie led Scottish forces in an attempt to restore the Stuart monarchy
• Initially successful, reaching as far south as Derby
• Defeated at Culloden in April 1746
• Survivors faced brutal reprisals
• Hundreds were captured and brought to London

Kennington Common

A traditional execution site:

• Large open space for public gatherings
• Used for various executions over the centuries
• Easy access for large crowds
• The punishment of traitors required space
• Later converted to Kennington Park

The Execution Method

Hanging, drawing, and quartering was the punishment for high treason:

• Hanged until nearly dead, then cut down while still alive
• Disemboweled and castrated
• Body cut into quarters
• Head and quarters displayed as warnings
• Designed to be as brutal and public as possible
• The most extreme form of capital punishment

The Jacobite Executions of 1746

Following Culloden, the executions began:

• Multiple Scottish prisoners executed at Kennington Common
• Crowds of thousands witnessed the brutality
• The condemned were often defiant
• Some gave speeches supporting the Stuart cause
• Their courage in the face of horror impressed observers
• The executions were meant to deter future rebellions

Notable Victims

Several named Jacobites met their end here:

• Scottish officers and soldiers
• Men who believed they were fighting for their rightful king
• Some were barely adults
• Their names and stories have been preserved

The Hauntings

The Scottish Soldiers

The most frequently reported apparitions:

• Men in Highland dress
• Kilts, plaids, and military jackets
• Some appear wounded
• Often seen in groups
• Speaking in Scots and Gaelic
• They seem confused about their location

The Execution Site

Near where the scaffold stood:

• Overwhelming feelings of horror
• The sound of crowds
• Screaming and the smell of burning
• Shadow figures on gallows
• The ritual of execution replays
• Visitors report sudden terror

The Defiant Spirits

The Jacobites’ courage manifests:

• Figures standing proud
• Some appear to be making speeches
• Refusing to show fear
• Singing Gaelic songs
• “God save King James” heard in EVP recordings
• Their political conviction survives death

The Tortured Apparitions

The brutal execution method left marks:

• Figures in agony
• Some appear dismembered
• Blood-stained clothing
• The horror of their deaths frozen in time
• These apparitions are particularly disturbing

The Gathering

The Jacobites appear together:

• Groups of Scottish soldiers
• Standing where they were executed
• Some appear to be waiting
• A sense of camaraderie
• Brothers in death as in life

Kennington Park

The modern park that replaced the common:

• Dog walkers report strange encounters
• Men in 18th-century Highland dress
• Sudden cold spots on warm days
• The sound of bagpipes
• Scottish accents in the distance

The Anniversary Effect

Activity increases around Culloden anniversary (April 16):

• More sightings
• Stronger manifestations
• The connection to the battle
• Their deaths linked to that defeat

Documented Activity

Kennington has limited but consistent documentation:

• Historical records of the executions
• Modern witness accounts
• EVP recordings
• Photographs showing anomalies
• Local residents’ testimonies
• Park workers’ experiences

The Lost Execution Site

The original common is mostly built over:

• Housing and streets cover the area
• Kennington Park preserves some open space
• Exact execution location uncertain
• The ghosts appear across the general area
• The ground remembers even if the landscape changed

Cultural Significance

Kennington Common represents:

• The brutal aftermath of Culloden
• English reprisals against Scottish rebellion
• The death of the Jacobite cause
• The last major use of hanging, drawing, and quartering
• A dark chapter in Anglo-Scottish relations

The Jacobite Legacy

The executed men became martyrs:

• Their courage impressed even their enemies
• Songs and poems commemorated them
• The brutality of their deaths shocked many
• Helped turn opinion against the Hanoverian government
• Part of Scottish national memory

Modern Awareness

Few realize the site’s history:

• No prominent memorial
• The executions are largely forgotten
• Local historians preserve the story
• The ghosts ensure it’s not completely lost

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Kennington Common witnessed the brutal execution of Scottish Jacobites in 1746. Hanged, drawn, and quartered for supporting Bonnie Prince Charlie, these men died horrifically but defiantly. The common is now built over and converted to parkland, but the Scottish soldiers still gather where they were executed. In death, they maintain the courage they showed on the scaffold, still loyal to their lost cause, still waiting for their king who will never come.