The Robber's Grave
Last updated: 08 August 2007
The Robber's Grave in Montgomery or "the grave of the man unjustly hanged" has long been a legend of note connected with the town of Montgomery. Scroll down to find out more.
In 1821, John Davies a plasterer from Wrexham was accused by William Jones from Welshpool of assault and robbery.
Jones produced two witnesses (not to the robbery) and appealed to them to help him find his assailant and to finding his missing watch and money on Davies' person. Davies was accordingly committed to the autumn sessions, where he pleaded 'not guilty' but was found guilty by the jury.
At that time highway robbery was one of the many crimes punishable by death. At the place of his execution, persons claimed to have heard John Davies declare his innocence and pray that God would not allow the grass to grow on his grave for a hundred years as a sign of his innocence.
He was buried in a portion of the churchyard where there had been no previous burials. The grave lies about 24ft west of the path from the north gate of the churchyard to the church tower, and about 30ft from the gate.
Information taken from a pamphlet called The Robber's Grave in Montgomery Churchyard written by J. D. K. Lloyd and available from the local church.
your comments
Charlotte Brady From Welshpool
I had to go there today with my school, and we looked at the policemans grave and i forgot his name then remembered and i never knew he died that was with a brick!! :O
Wed Jul 8 11:12:02 2009
Dorothy Groombridge(formerly Davies Clayton)from A
My Mother in law was Nellie Davies, born in welshpool, she had a sister and brother Florence and William . Nellie and Flo both went to live in Liverpool to find work, but Wm Stayed in Welshpool and lived in Er Wen. The story about the robbers grave was told to us by Nellie,Flo and William. Their father was a police officer based in Welshpool and lived in the police house. He was involved in the capture of John Davies who it is said was rustling and killing sheep.Davies was tried found guilty and later hanged for this crime. Some time later William Davies was asleep in his bed with his wife when he heard a noise in the street. On investigating he was hit on the head with a brick, fell to the floor and never regained conciousness and died. His grave is to be seen in the same churchyard as the robbers grave. It has crossed batons and a police helmet carved on the headstone. We visited this grave every year and I have somewhere a photo of that grave with my mother in law Nellie davies sitting beside the grave. Several years ago my son John Davies Clayton brought to me the police review which told the story. There is supposed to be a plaque in the old montgomery town hall or police station commemerating William Davies.
Wed Mar 28 15:07:28 2007
Marshall Clayton
My dad was John Davies Clayton. The grave was named after his grand father. His mum whose surname was Davies from Welshpool a Welsh speaker married a man from liverpool whose surname was Clayton. My brother and sister have also kept the Davies Surname as a middle name. My dad would visit the grave every year before he died four years ago.
Mon Mar 26 08:57:02 2007
Carly Mitchell from Newtown
We went as part of a trip to the church with the collage, i found it quite interesting especiialy reading about it from the pamphlet. But what i would like to know is why its called the robbers grave and is known as the robbers grave if he was innocent?
Mon Jan 8 16:55:26 2007
Andrew Davies, Forden
We had to do a play in Montgomery Primary School 16 years ago on the robbers grave and I had to play the robber! Luckly I wasn't buried, but it's a good story.
Thu Aug 17 09:26:06 2006
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