My walking group often walk in the Leek Wootton vicinity but I have only recently discovered this monument to a largely forgotten local event. Very few people seem to have heard about it, so it Side-tracked me from my usual paths because I felt I had to see it for myself.
One of Richard Shurey's walking books states that it was on Bleaklow Hill, near the trig point marking 84 m altitude at N 52 18.327 W 001 35.107, that in 1313, Piers Gaveston, the favourite courtier of King Edward II, was beheaded by barons who disliked him. He stated there was a monument nearby but I'd never seen any sign of one so I did some research and found that he’d got both the date and the hill name wrong !! The trig point is on Blacklow Hill & the Grade 2 listed monument is in woodland some way off to the south east of the OS mark the summit of the hill.
There is evidence that a memorial to the execution of Gaveston has existed on Blacklow Hill since at least the 17th century. According to Dugdale (writing in 1656), this monument simply consisted of a written inscription carved into the rock near the summit of the hill :- “P. Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall, Beheaded Here, 1311” and this can still be seen etched into the rock underneath the more prominent Gaveston Cross which was erected by Bertie Greatheed of Guy’s Cliffe sometime between 1821 & 1824, some 500 years after Piers’ death. Samuel Parr, a local curate, wrote the inscription which Bertie had cast in metal, but like the earlier one, that date is wrong! It says “In the Hollow of this Rock, was beheaded, On the 1st Day of July, by Barons lawless as himself, Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall; The Minion of a hateful King: In life and death, A memorable Instance of Misrule”
Edward II was a rather weak ruler and was not popular because of his failure to rule Scotland. Indeed, the defeat of the English at the Battle of Bannockburn was the making of Scotland!
Gaveston was actually killed on 19th June 1312. The reason appears to have been jealousy. Piers, also known as Perrot, was Edward II’s favourite, maybe even gay lover. The king referred to him as a blood brother and frequently ignored other important men when Piers was around. He loaded him with favours and even allowed him to insult the proud Barons who had been faithful servants to his father, Edward I, There were many who thought Gaveston was an 'awful person' - certainly the nobles of his time thought so. But Edward 1st thought he was an excellent role model of manners & chivalry for his son, and he certainly gave Edward II confidence, as well as friendship and whatever. Eventually the Barons gathered together and by force, compelled the King to dismiss his favourite from office. Not content with this, the Earl of Warwick and several others seized Gaveston themselves and brought him to Leek Wootton where they cut his head off. According to “Tales of Old Warwickshire” by Betty Smith, when Gaveston was beheaded his head rolled under a furze bush, where it was retrieved by an itinerant friar. Some other friars from Oxford were said to have retrieved the discarded body and taken it to give it a Christian burial.
The 19th C cross sits in woodland, surrounded by snowdrops & bluebells in spring and consists of a square base that rests on a plinth of five stairs. From the corners of the base sprout four square pillars which support a stone slab at the pinnacle of which is a heavy stone cross. The whole monument is built of sandstone and stands an impressive 25 feet high.
Suggested parking and access:
Turn off the A46 towards Leek Wootton and take the first left up North Woodlows. Pass the sign pointing off right to Gaveston Wood Cottages (private road) and continue past the house called "Misty Meadows" until you reach a dead end where you can park. Off to the north is private land (with closed circuit surveillance sign) so it is best to avoid approaching this way and instead walk southwards down a tarmac public right of way that goes under the Leek Wootton bypass.
Well before you get to this underpass, turn off right into the woods at an electricity box and a fairly obvious path then takes you along the scrubby top of the embankment at the side of the dual carriageway towards the woods on Blacklow Hill where the monument is. To get into the wood, which I have read may also be private but belongs to an absentee landord - not one of the locals, you need to climb the wooden fence near the corner of the fairly open wood.
The cache is a simple 35 mm film pot with log roll. You will need to bring your own writing implement & maybe some secateurs.