But having a group of ill-disciplined soldiers, under the control of their aristocratic officers, billeted on the local community was often worse than the disturbance they were meant to control. The Justice of the Peace would ‘read the riot act’ and the army would be called in. Up until this point any disturbance that couldn’t be controlled by The Watch had to be dealt with by the military. For this reason all crimes from stealing to murder had harsh punishments.Īlthough there were gaols, they were generally used to hold a prisoner awaiting trial rather than as a means of punishment, which ranged from simple fines to being placed in stocks or the pillory – where one could be pelted with rotten eggs, squishy tomatoes, or a well aimed stone! – mutilation (cutting off a part of the body), or death were the most common forms of punishment. Throughout the medieval period it was believed that the only way to keep order was to make sure that the people were scared of the punishments given for crimes committed. It was also their responsibility to light street lamps and watch out for fires – a major concern in those days. They supplied bodies of paid men, known as ‘The Watch’ who guarded the city gates and patrolled the streets at night. In the towns the responsibility for maintenance of order was conferred on the Guilds and, later, on to other specified groups of citizens, usually made up of higher class citizens, as well as tradesmen, craftsmen and shopkeepers. It wasn’t unknown for folk to carry a corpse by night to another village to avoid being burdened with the results. As a result witnesses and other people involved in the investigation were often fined. The process was so cumbersome and convoluted that it often resulted in errors. ![]() The coroner had to record details of all deaths he investigated on his rolls. Capital crimes included murder, manslaughter and the theft of any item worth a shilling or more. In some parts of the country the coroner was responsible for investigating all felonies – crimes that carried the death penalty. Anyone caught outdoors – or “abroad” – after curfew had to be prepared to justify their actions to the night watch crew.ĭuring the Middle Ages, coroners had numerous legal duties that went beyond investigating sudden, violent or suspicious deaths. A bell would ring at about 8pm, warning residents (and inn-keepers) to finish working and stay indoors. Medieval towns had curfews in place to maintain law and order. Just as in Anglo-Saxon times, if a hue and cry was raised, everyone had to join in. As time passed the tything-man became the parish constable and the Shire-reeve became the Justice of the Peace, to whom the parish constable was responsible. The tything-man system changed quite a bit after contact with Norman feudalism, but it was not wholly destroyed. Then when the Normans invaded they developed the system. This meant that each village divided the people into groups of ten – the tything – with a tything-man as the representative of each group and then these men were divided into larger groups each of ten tythings under a ‘hundred-man’ who was responsible to the Shire-reeve – or Sheriff – of the County. The Saxons brought their system of ‘tythings’ over to England with them. ![]() It seems the origin of the British police lies in early tribal history and is based on customs for securing order through the medium of appointed representatives. There was a system in place much earlier than I had believed. When I planned to write this article I thought I knew about the origin of ‘policing’ in this country, but my research showed me otherwise.
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