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Cleaning dusts off a ghostly murder story
The last thing Roy Madelin expected when he cleaned out his cupboards on a fine summer's day was to be reminded of the ghostly story of a murdering rogue who robbed pilgrims of their gold.
His parents, Phylis and Roy, had told him the tale of a cold-eyed killer who went under the name of Foister who preyed on travellers at Ham Hill - and he was curious to find out more.
Some 25 years ago, he contacted the Western Gazette and through its pages found W. Hardin Osborne of Montacute, who was able to tell him the full story and supply him with a map of where the events took place.
Foister, who lived in the district end of Montacute, would invite travellers to his home only to murder them in the night for their gold and jewellery.
The authorities eventually caught him for his heinous crimes, and stuck him in an iron gibbet hung from a tree at Batemore Barn, near the road now known as Foister's Gully, where he starved to death.
His cries of "bread for Foister" were heard for several days all over the village and when he was taken down his hands and wrists were found to have been gnawed to the bone.
A passing woman took pity and gave him some candles she was carrying but was almost lynched for her trouble. ...
Report BY Simon Garnett
Western Gazette, Yeovil Edition, Thursday 9th August 2001
Comment: Ham Hill is a large iron age hill fort, and gets its name from the hamstone that is quarried there.
The last thing Roy Madelin expected when he cleaned out his cupboards on a fine summer's day was to be reminded of the ghostly story of a murdering rogue who robbed pilgrims of their gold.
His parents, Phylis and Roy, had told him the tale of a cold-eyed killer who went under the name of Foister who preyed on travellers at Ham Hill - and he was curious to find out more.
Some 25 years ago, he contacted the Western Gazette and through its pages found W. Hardin Osborne of Montacute, who was able to tell him the full story and supply him with a map of where the events took place.
Foister, who lived in the district end of Montacute, would invite travellers to his home only to murder them in the night for their gold and jewellery.
The authorities eventually caught him for his heinous crimes, and stuck him in an iron gibbet hung from a tree at Batemore Barn, near the road now known as Foister's Gully, where he starved to death.
His cries of "bread for Foister" were heard for several days all over the village and when he was taken down his hands and wrists were found to have been gnawed to the bone.
A passing woman took pity and gave him some candles she was carrying but was almost lynched for her trouble. ...
Report BY Simon Garnett
Western Gazette, Yeovil Edition, Thursday 9th August 2001
Comment: Ham Hill is a large iron age hill fort, and gets its name from the hamstone that is quarried there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MontacuteRichard Foister (or Foster) was reputedly the last highwayman to be gibbeted alive in England. In reality he seems to have been a local footpad who attacked travellers along the old coach route across Ham Hill. He was found guilty of murder and bound into a metal cage at what is now known as Foister's Gully - a hollow-way which passes along the route of the Roman road through Batemore Barn, close to the abandoned medieval hamlet. Village tradition has it that his screams of hunger could be heard in the village. On his death his wrists were found to be eaten to the bone. A local girl who offered him (tallow) candles to eat was nearly lynched for feeding him.
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