The Knavesmire: York’s Tyburn and Dick Turpin’s End

The Knavesmire, also known as York’s Tyburn, was the city’s primary execution site from 1379 until 1802. Located just south of York’s city walls, this open moorland witnessed hundreds of public hangings over more than four centuries. Its most famous execution was that of legendary highwayman Dick Turpin in 1739. Today, the site is home to York Racecourse, where horses thunder across ground once soaked in the blood of the condemned. The ghosts of the executed, particularly Turpin, still haunt the former gallows site.

The History

York’s Execution Ground

The Knavesmire became the official execution site:

• Replaced earlier execution locations
• Large open space for crowd viewing
• Located outside the city walls
• “Knavesmire” literally means “rogue’s marsh”
• Accessible yet removed from the city center

Public Executions as Spectacle

Executions drew massive crowds:

• Thousands gathered to watch
• Vendors sold food and drink
• A holiday atmosphere
• The condemned rode from York Castle on a cart
• Some stopped at pubs for their “last drink”
• Bodies were left hanging as warnings

Notable Executions

Over 400 years, hundreds were executed:

• Dick Turpin (1739) - legendary highwayman
• Eugene Aram (1759) - schoolmaster and murderer
• Numerous other highwaymen
• Murderers and violent criminals
• Thieves and counterfeiters
• Some executed for crimes now considered minor

Dick Turpin’s Execution

The most famous Knavesmire death:

• April 7, 1739
• Convicted of horse theft and murder
• Dressed in a new suit and shoes
• Bowed to the crowd
• Spoke briefly to the executioner
• Threw himself off the ladder
• Died relatively quickly
• Body stolen by grave robbers but later recovered
• Buried at St. George’s Church

The End of Executions

Public hangings ceased in 1802:

• Last execution was 1801
• Executions moved to York Castle
• The gallows were removed
• The site became common land
• Later developed as a racecourse

The Hauntings

Dick Turpin’s Ghost

The highwayman is the most reported spirit:

• A confident figure in 18th-century dress
• Sometimes on horseback
• Often near where the gallows stood
• Appears cheerful despite his fate
• Tips his hat to witnesses
• Then vanishes
• Most active around the April 7 anniversary

The Gallows Site

Where the scaffold stood:

• Cold spots on warm days
• The sound of crowds
• Cheering and jeering
• The creaking of the gallows
• Shadow figures with ropes around necks
• The execution ritual replays

The Condemned Procession

The journey from castle to gallows:

• Phantom carts carrying prisoners
• Guards on horseback
• Crowds lining the route
• The condemned sometimes drunk or singing
• The final journey replays

The Highwaymen

Multiple executed highway robbers:

• Figures on horseback
• 18th-century clothing
• Riding across the Knavesmire
• The romance of the road
• Some appear to be fleeing
• The sound of hooves at night

The Racecourse Phenomena

Modern York Racecourse experiences:

• Horses refusing to run near certain spots
• Jockeys report cold patches
• Spectators see period figures in the crowd
• 18th-century apparitions watching the races
• Staff have numerous experiences

Eugene Aram

The murderer executed in 1759:

• A scholarly figure
• Appears near the execution site
• Holds a book (he was a schoolmaster)
• Seems to be protesting his guilt
• Less flamboyant than Turpin but equally persistent

The Mass Manifestations

Some nights, multiple ghosts appear:

• Crowds of spectators
• Several condemned prisoners
• The carnival atmosphere of execution day
• An entire scene from the past
• Then everything vanishes

The Gibbet Ghosts

Some bodies were displayed in cages:

• Gibbets stood along roads as warnings
• Figures in cages have been reported
• Bodies left to rot as deterrents
• Their ghosts trapped in eternal display

Documented Activity

The Knavesmire has accumulated evidence:

• Centuries of local legends
• Racecourse staff testimonies
• Visitor experiences
• Photographs showing anomalies
• EVP recordings
• Cold spots measured
• The Turpin legend ensures ongoing interest

The Racecourse

York Racecourse now occupies the site:

• Racing since 1730s (during execution era)
• Races actually took place alongside executions
• Modern facility with historical overlay
• Staff acknowledge the history
• Some areas avoided at night
• The past coexists with the present

Cultural Significance

The Knavesmire represents:

• 400+ years of York justice
• The spectacle of public execution
• The Dick Turpin legend
• The transition from public to private executions
• Yorkshire’s judicial history

The Dick Turpin Myth

Turpin’s legend grew after death:

• Romanticized as a gentleman highwayman
• Actually a violent criminal
• His legend obscures the reality
• But the myth is part of English folklore
• His ghost embodies the romantic version

Modern Memorials

The site is marked:

• Historical plaques
• Turpin’s grave at St. George’s Church is a tourist attraction
• Walking tours visit the execution site
• The history is preserved in local memory

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The Knavesmire was York’s execution ground for over 400 years. Dick Turpin, the legendary highwayman, died here in 1739, and his ghost remains the most famous of hundreds who were hanged on this spot. Now a racecourse where horses race across the former gallows site, the Knavesmire still echoes with the sounds of execution day. Dick Turpin still tips his hat, still faces death with a smile, still rides into eternity on his spectral horse. The crowd still gathers, the condemned still hang, and the carnival of death continues for those who can see beyond the veil.