The Oxford Circuit 1735 - 1799

This Circuit covered the counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire,
Oxfordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire; together with the Counties of the Cities of Gloucester, Lichfield and Worcester.

665 executions can be confirmed for this Circuit and up to 43 probable and possible ones.

Berkshire.
The Lent Assizes were always held at Reading and the Summer Assizes at Aylesbury except in 1739,
when both were held at Reading and in 1787, when both were held at Aylesbury.
Executions took place at Earley Common, Reading. There were 85 confirmed executions and 2 probable

ones in the period.

Gloucestershire.
The Assizes were always held at Gloucester and on the same day were opened for the County of the
City of Gloucester. County executions of which there were 118, were normally carried out at the County Gallows
in the village of Over near Gloucester up to 1790 and then from 1792 at the County Gaol, Gloucester.

The three Gloucester City executions were carried out at the West Gate.

Herefordshire.
The Assizes were always held at Hereford.
Executions took place at Gallows Tumps, Hereford and then St. Olave’s St., Hereford for an execution in 1790.
From 1796 they moved to the County Gaol, Hereford. There were 56 confirmed executions and 7 possible ones.

City of Lichfield.

15 death sentences were passed leading to 6 executions here.

The place of execution was a piece of open land to the south of the city.

Monmouthshire.
The Assizes were always held at Monmouth. 18 confirmed executions took place plus 2 possible ones.
The place of execution is not known.

Oxfordshire.
The Assizes were always held at Oxford. City executions were carried out at the Green Ditch in Oxford.
County executions took place on the Castle Green and on a mound just outside the West Gate of the City.

From 1790 the tower of the Castle (Gaol) was used. There were 59 confirmed executions in the period,
plus 3 possible ones.

City of Oxford.

4 confirmed executions and 2 possible ones were carried out at Green Ditch, Oxford.

Shropshire (Salop).
Assizes were always held at Shrewsbury, leading to 100 confirmed executions and 13 possible ones.
Up to 1793 executions took place at Mere Heath, Shrewsbury, and after 1794 outside the County Gaol in Shrewsbury.

Staffordshire.
The Assizes were always held at Stafford. Executions took place at Sandyford near Stafford up to 1793
and from then on the flat roof of the gatehouse of the Country Gaol in Stafford.
A total of 109 executions can be confirmed plus 14 probable ones.

Worcestershire.
The Assizes were always held at Worcester and on the same day were opened for the County of the City of Worcester.
The normal place of execution was at Red Hill, outside Worcester. There were 104 county executions plus a further
9 carried out under City jurisdiction.

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