Alice Glaston | |
---|---|
Born |
c. 1535
Little Wenlock, Shropshire, England |
Died | 13 April 1546 (aged 11)
Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England |
Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
Criminal status |
|
Conviction(s) | Unknown |
Criminal penalty | Death |
Alice Glaston ( c. 1535 – 13 April 1546) was an 11-year-old English girl from Little Wenlock who was hanged in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England, under the reign of Henry VIII. [1] [2] [3] She is likely the youngest girl ever to be legally executed in England, though 8- or 9-year-old John Dean was hanged for arson in 1629. [3] The crime for which she was hanged is unknown, but it is speculated that she was accused of either murder or witchcraft. [4] She was hanged with two other people. [5] Sir Thomas Butler, vicar of Much Wenlock, records Glaston's burial at his church. [6]
In October 2014, writer Paul Evans released The Spirit Child, a speculative supernatural radio play about the events leading to her execution. [7]
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