On August 29th 1750, four Irish harvesters were travelling back
to Ireland through Parkgate, just three miles from Chester. The men
got involved in a row and three of them attacked and murdered the
fourth. They robbed him of his money and clothes and threw his body
in a ditch. They went drinking after this but this is where the
tale changes.
One version claims they were drinking in The Swinging Gate in
Saughall and murdered a woman. Another version says they went
drinking in The Old Greyhound in Shotwick.
Whichever version is correct, they were caught and during their
trail, one man told on the other two and gave evidence against
them. The trail ended on September 8th. Because one of the men gave
evidence, the other two murderers were found guilty and hanged at
Boughton on September 22nd. Their bodies were brought back to
Saughall and they were gibbeted on an ash tree that grew near to
Saughall Mill. They were positioned at the junction of Parkgate
Road and a path which runs to the north of the present mill and
exhibited as a warning. The mill is now privately owned and lived
in.
The actual cache is a small hidden in view of the mill along a
public footpath running from the A540 to Capenhurst Lane. Please
make sure that you replace the cache exactly as found and that it
is covered properly.
27/12/2011 - I HAVE
BEEN TO CHECK THIS CACHE OUT TODAY. ACCESS IS NOW EASIER AS THE
LOCAL AUTHORITY HAS REPLACED THE HIGH STILE FOR A KISSING GATE. THE
CACHE IS STILL SAFE AND SOUND, MAKE SURE YOU GO THROUGH THE KISSING
GATE AND TURN LEFT.