Shooting the Welsh!

From Chester Wiki

There is apparently an old law in Chester that a Welsh person found within the city walls after dark can be shot. The law was actually mentioned in House of Commons as recently as 6th Feb 2007 when Christine Russell (MP for Chester) said:

I freely admit that cross-border relationships have not always been harmonious in the past. For instance, a local byelaw in Chester states that a Welsh person found within the city walls after sunset can be taken out with a crossbow.

Of course, Ms Russell was not being serious (I hope!).

Despite this the Rt. Hon. Mr David Jones (Member of Parliament for Clwyd West / Aelod Seneddol dros Orllewin Clwyd) thought it wise to point out: "Is it not true that the Chester town hall clock tower does not have a face facing Wales because the people of Chester would not give the time of day to the Welsh?...".

Ms Russell replied "That is absolutely true" - it is good to see our MP's are obviously working hard on cross-border relations!

This "law" about the Welsh has been the subject of much discussion, but tracing its possible origins leads to a history rather different than many imagine.

In 1403, Sir Henry Percy ('Henry Hotspur'), then Justice of Chester, raised the standard of revolt against Henry IV (Henry had usurped Richard II). Henry IV had also "ravaged" Chester during his brief stay before setting off to Fflint Castle, capturing Richard II, dragging him back to Chester and locking him in the castle. Henry Percy formed an alliance with the Welsh "rebel", Owain Glyndŵr. But, before they could join forces, Hotspur was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury (lifting up your visor for a breath of fresh air in a hail of arrows is never a good idea).

Shortly thereafter the law about "shooting the Welsh" first appears. In the weeks following the Battle of Shrewsbury the insecurity of both the new dynasty and some of the city authorities (some of whom had been on the King's side at the battle) was demonstrated in the instructions issued by Prince Henry in response to further defections in north Wales. On September 4, 1403, he wrote to the Mayor, Sheriffs and Aldermen of the City of Chester, who were required to impose a curfew upon all Welshmen visiting Chester, and to ensure that they left their arms at the city gates and did not gather in groups of more than three; all Welsh residents were expelled and any who stayed overnight were threatened with execution.

Apparently, the actual wording was that: all manner of Welsh persons or Welsh sympathies should be expelled from the city; that no Welshman should enter the city before sunrise or tarry in it after sunset, under pain of decapitation.

(N.B. Ms Russell, no mention of the crossbow - that would still be murder - you have to take an axe to Mr Jones, or one of those French Guillotine things. Oh and don't try it in the Castle Ward - because that is part of the County of Cheshire and not part of Chester.)

Evidently the people of Chester did not think much of the law:

• In 1404, the government found it necessary to order the citizens of Chester not to sell arms or merchandise to the "rebels" and to commission keepers of roads out of Chester.
• In 1408, Chester elected a Welsh mayor and almost at once a serious feud broke out between on one side the civic authorities, led by the Welshman John Ewloe, and on the other William Venables, constable of the castle (presumably a king's man). The courts seem to have favoured the mayor, as Venables and over fifty members of his retinue were bound over to keep peace with the mayor and sheriffs.
• In 1409, the Crown nominated a governor (Sir William Brereton, sheriff of Cheshire) to replace mayor Ewloe as 'keeper and governor' of the city. Brereton and his deputy presided over the portmote and crownmote until Ewloe was re-elected later in 1409.
• In 1410, another election was disrupted by the armed intervention of Robert Chamberlain, a former sheriff and a crony of Venables's. He was unsuccessful, the new mayor (Roger Potter) was one of the leading opponents of the former constable.
• In 1411, a 'day of reconciliation' (dies amoris) was celebrated between Venables and the leading townsmen and in 1412, under terms awarded by arbitrators, Venables was required to pay reparations to various citizens.
• A further attempt at armed interference in the elections of 1412 caused the Crown to directly appoint the mayor and to appoint Crown nominees to choose the next one.

So - it's clear that the people of Chester did not want this law and that this was a law intended to prevent the Cestrians joining forces with the Welsh against an oppressive English King who had his own reasons for disliking both the Welsh and the people of Chester.

Adam Rickitt (ex Coronation Street star) has said that if he elected as a Conservative MP for Chester, he will seek to abolish the "ancient law allowing the people of Chester to kill Welsh visitors at night". He is reported to have said: "There are two archaic laws - which no doubt have been superseded - which are supposedly that if you catch a Welshman within the City Walls after midnight then you are allowed to hang them and you can shoot a Welshman from the Walls with a long bow". Adam (who confessed he was not 100% on the detail) seems to have added the longbow and the rope to the crossbow and the axe. However the Conservatives did say they had a plan to improve the City Walls and perhaps this is it.

No doubt, both in the Commons and elsewhere, the debate will continue.