GC31M2M Unknown Sailor #1 - The Red Lion (Traditional Cache) in South East England, United Kingdom created by theguestfamily

This cache has been archived.

theguestfamily: Downsizing my maintenance list....

GC31M2M ▼

A cache by theguestfamily Message this owner

Hidden : 8/6/2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

The Unknown Sailor was an anonymous seafarer murdered in September 1786 at Hindhead in Surrey, England. His murderers were hanged in chains on Gibbet Hill, Hindhead the following year.

The Unknown Sailor is first recorded as visiting the Red Lion Inn at Thursley as he was walking back from London to join his ship at Portsmouth on September 24, 1786. There he met three other seafarers, James Marshall, Michael Casey and Edward Lonegon. He generously paid for their drinks and food and was last seen leaving for Hindhead Hill with them. The three seafarers murdered him and stripped him of his clothes. The three then made their way down the London to Portsmouth road (now the A3) and were arrested a few hours later trying to sell the murdered sailor's clothes at the Sun Inn in Rake (not the Flying Bull in Rake as some versions of the story have it). Six months later they were tried at Kingston assizes and two days after that, on Saturday 7 April 1787, they were hanged in chains on a triple gibbet close to the scene of the crime in Hindhead.

The cache is hidden on a footpath (could be overgrown!) opposite the building that was the Red Lion Pub. It has now been turned into three houses!