JACOB's POST

 

 

In 1734 Jacob Harris, a traveling peddler, murdered Richard Miles by cutting his throat and stole his victim's riding coat, valued at 10 shillings. The attack took place at a wayside inn on Ditchling Common on 26th May, although Miles did not die until 30th May.

 

Harris, who was also known as Jacob Hirsch, fled after the deed to Turners Hill, where he was arrested and taken to Horsham Gaol. At the next Sussex assizes, held at Horsham in August 1734, he was indicted for murder and condemned to be hanged. On 31 August the sentence was carried out, and Harris's body was hung in chains on a gibbet near the spot where the murder had been committed.

 

As was often the case, a ballad giving all the gory details of the crime and subsequent execution was quickly concocted and put on sale. The ballad is too long to give in full, but here are the final lines:

 

And where he did the crime they took the pains
To bring him back and hang him up in chains
That there he might be seen by all that passed by
I wish all people who will cast an eye;
It is a dismal sight for to behold
Enough to make a heart of stone run cold
So to conclude I hope you will take care
And of all willful sin, I pray, beware;
Let's serve the Lord with all our might
And he will guard us day and night

 

What finally happened to Harris's bones we do not know, but at some time after they had disappeared a post was erected on the site of the gibbet as a reminder of the crime. It bore the date 1734 and was surmounted by the figure of a rooster.

 

Jacob's Post is supposed to be haunted and has since been the basis for many tales of dreadful happenings. Local folk were not keen to pass it after dark and always gave it a wide berth if they had to pass by it, even in the daylight.

 

One night a drinker at a local pub was dared to go and stand by the memorial at midnight. Unknown to him, one of his mates had slipped out first and hidden himself nearby. When the decidedly nervous hero got to the spot, he did his best to keep up his courage by talking to the ghost: Hello Jacob, how are you tonight?"From the shadows came the reply, " Very wet and cold".

 

The poor quivering man turned and ran, and didn't stop until he had reached the safely of the bar parlour and was again surrounded by his friends. When the joke was explained to him, he failed to appreciate the humour of it - although it kept the regulars at the pub entertained for weeks.

 

 

 

 

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