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Murder of Charlotte Dymond

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Charlotte Dymond
Charlotte Dymond's grave, at St David's Church, Davidstow, Cornwall
Born1826
England
Died14 April 1844 (aged 18)
Bodmin Moor
Cause of deathStabbing
Burial placeDavidstow
MonumentsCharlotte Dymond Memorial
ParentUnknown

Charlotte Dymond (1826 – 14 April 1844) was an 18-year-old servant who was the victim of a notorious murder which influenced the folklore of Bodmin Moor.[1] It is considered to be one of the most infamous murders in Cornwall.[2]

Crime

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Exhibition on the murder at St David's Church, Davidstow

Charlotte Dymond was born an illegitimate child.[3] She worked as a servant on Penhale Farm which was located on the edge of Bodmin Moor, between Camelford and Davidstow.[4] The farm was owned by an elderly widow Phillipa Peter and her son and they employed Charlotte and two other live-in servants John Stevens and Matthew Weeks.[4] Charlotte and Matthew were believed to be courting but she was also considered to be romantically interested in Thomas Prout, the nephew of her employer.[2] It was believed that Charlotte and Thomas were planning to run away and get married.[5]

On 14 April 1844, Charlotte was seen leaving the farm with Weeks heading towards the moor.[6] She was wearing a green striped dress and Weeks was recognised by an elderly farmer by his distinctive limp.[6] Later that evening suspicion arose when he returned alone with muddy trousers and a ripped shirt.[6] He told the household that she had been offered a new job in Blisland.[7]

She was missing for a week before the discovery of her body.[2] Her body was found at a high-point on Bodmin Moor, Roughtor Ford.[8] Her throat had been cut from ear to ear.[4] The coroner was Joseph Hawley and his deputy was Gilbert Hamley.[9] Weeks fled to Plymouth and planned to flee to the Channel Islands when a warrant was issued for his arrest.[7] When he was captured he pleaded his innocence.[7]

Circumstantial evidence implicated Weeks as he was the last person to see her alive, as well as his erratic behaviour after she went missing.[10] It was believed that Charlotte was planning to leave him and she was killed in a fit of jealous rage.[11] Due to subsequent research, considerable doubt was raised surrounding his guilt. An alternative hypothesis is that she was killed by a secret admirer.[12]

Trial

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Weeks stood trial in August 1844 at Shire Hall in Bodmin.[13] He was found guilty of the murder.[14] At noon on 12 August 1844, Weeks was hanged in front of Bodmin Gaol.[2] He was buried in the coal yard adjoining the gaol.[15]

Legacy

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The Charlotte Dymond Memorial in 2024

The crime influenced local folklore inspiring poems, songs and ghost stories, including The Ballad of Charlotte Dymond by Charles Causley.[8] The Charlotte Dymond Memorial, which stands on Bodmin Moor, is a Grade II listed building.[8] The monument is listed due to its rarity as a mid-19th-century memorial to a domestic servant paid for by public subscription which was unusual at the time.[16]

In 1978 the case underwent a televised reconstruction.[17] In 2001 the case was part of a historical exhibition at Shire Hall.[18] The exhibition involved a re-enactment of the trial.[19] In 2010 a local historian wrote a book on the murder.[20] Author Jill Batters presented a talk "The Life of Charlotte Dymond" at Liskeard Old Cornwall Society in 2019.[21]

British/Australian author Brand King sets much of his second novel, A Cornish Spring on Bodmin Moor.[22] The novel evokes the ghost of Charlotte Dymond to drive its narrative.[23] Her monument features on the book's cover.[24] An episode of Rick Stein's Cornwall features a visit to the memorial on Bodmin Moor.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "A Cornish Crime". BBC Cornwall. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Matthews, Chris (4 November 2018). "The death of Charlotte Dymond - Cornwall's most famous 'murder' tale". Cornwall Live. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  3. ^ "A 19th Century Murder And A Spooky Experience!". International Police Association. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Charlotte Dymond". Cornwall Guide. 10 April 2013. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Star Crossed Lovers - The murder of Charlotte Dymond". Bodmin Jail. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Letcher, Lisa (20 March 2022). "Tales of Bodmin Moor prove there's more to the place than the Beast". Cornwall Live. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Greenaway, Aaron (26 September 2020). "The dark history and the evil within Bodmin Jail over the centuries". Cornwall Live. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  8. ^ a b c "Charlotte Dymond Memorial, St. Breward - 1456077 | Historic England". Historic England. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  9. ^ "WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 1, 1844". THE SUN, LONDON. 1 May 1844.
  10. ^ "Charlotte Dymond: Love, Betrayal & Justice". Bodmin Jail. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Charlotte Dymond Memorial | Images of Cornwall". Cornwall Guide. 10 April 2013. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  12. ^ Denton, Maxine (12 February 2022). "Cornwall's most infamous criminals included Bodmin Moor killer". Cornwall Live. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  13. ^ Hewitt, Les (10 October 2018). "The Gruesome Murder of Charlotte Dymond on Bodmin Moor". Historic Mysteries. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  14. ^ "BBC - Cornwall - About Cornwall - Charlotte Dymond Gallery". BBC Cornwall. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  15. ^ "The Murder of Charlotte Dymond | Launceston Then!". 5 October 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Charlotte Dymond Memorial, Advent, Cornwall". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Linda Stratmann - Article Page". Linda Stratmann. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  18. ^ "Court in the act". Tes Magazine. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  19. ^ "BBC - Cornwall - About Cornwall - Take a step back in time at The Shire Hall". BBC Cornwall. Archived from the original on 24 February 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  20. ^ OpenLibrary.org. "Pat Munn". Open Library. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  21. ^ "Mystery of brutal murder on Bodmin Moor to be explored". Cornish Times. 10 January 2019.
  22. ^ King, Brand (18 December 2023). A Cornish Spring. Sweeney & King. p. 340. ISBN 9781738487301. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Tisbury based author releases new novel". New Valley News. 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  24. ^ A Cornish Spring. Sweeney & King. 10 January 2024. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  25. ^ "Rick Stein's Cornwall: Episode 1". BBC. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

Further reading

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  • Munn, Patt, The Charlotte Dymond Murder Cornwall 1844 (2010)
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