Tyburn

Tyburn was the principal location in London for public executions by hanging. It was at the junction between two roman roads, now Oxford Street and Edgware Road, and executions took place there for many centuries.

Hogarth's Idle 'Prentice

The site had significance from Roman times when Oswulf's Stone was placed there. From this stone was named Ossulston Hundred of Middlesex. The stone was earthed over in 1822 when Marble Arch moved to the area, but was shortly afterwards unearthed and propped up against the Arch. It has not been seen since 1869.

Tyburn gallows, as depicted by William Hogarth in his print, The Idle 'Prentice executed at Tyburn (1747), was a triangle in plan, having three legs to stand upon (an arrangement known as a "three legged mare" or "three legged stool"). It came first into existence in 1571 at the execution of Dr. John Story. It was fixed in the open space at the end of Edgware Road, formed by the junction of the roads near where the Marble Arch now stands. The location was well known, appearing in many cant phrases and folk songs: "Tyburn Tree" being the gallows; "To dance the Tyburn Jig" meaning to be hanged, etc.

In 1759, the old Triple Tree was removed, and a new movable gallows, set up near the union of Bryanston Street and Edgware Road, superseded it. The last person executed at Tyburn was John Austin on November 3, 1783. After that date the London executions were removed from Tyburn to Newgate and criminals were hanged in front of the gaol. There is a plaque in a traffic island at the bottom of Edgware Road to commemorate the site of the tree.

Among those executed at Tyburn were:

Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March (November 29, 1330) - accused of assuming royal power etc, hanged without trial
Michael An Gof and Thomas Flamank (24 June 1497) - leaders of the Cornish uprising
Perkin Warbeck (November 23, 1499) - treason
Edmund Campion (December 1, 1581) - Roman Catholic martyr
Robert "Lucky" Hubert (1666?) - hanged after (falsely) confessing to starting the Great Fire of London
Claude Duval (January 21, 1670) - gentleman highwayman
Jack Sheppard ("Gentleman Jack") (November 16, 1724) - notorious thief
five of the men who had been arrested at Mother Clap's brothel for homosexual men (May 9, 1726)
Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl of Ferrers (May 5, 1760) - the only peer to have been hanged for murder
John Austin November 3, 1783 - last person executed at Tyburn

Also, the bodies of Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton and John Bradshaw were exhumed and hung in chains at Tyburn on the order of Charles II (See also: Posthumous execution).

Tyburn got its name from the Tyburn brook, which since being covered over is now one of the subterranean rivers of London. It rises near to Tyburn before flowing into the Serpentine in Hyde Park thus joining the River Westbourne. A church called St Marys, built upon the banks of the Tyburn, gave rise to the areas present name Marylebone. Marylebone being a contraction of St Mary by the bourne.

The Tyburn Convent is a Catholic convent dedicated to the memory of martyrs executed during the Reformation.