THIS STONE WAS ERECTED BY ORDER AND AT THE COST OF JAMES STILWELL, ESQ., OF COSFORD, 1786. CURSED BE THE MAN WHO INJURETH OR REMOVETH THIS STONE. The stone was removed from its original position on the old Portsmouth road, which ran at a higher level, and placed where it now stands some years since. The three men who committed the crime were arrested at Rake, near Petersfield, and in their possession was found the clothing of the unfortunate sailor. They were tried at Kingston, and found guilty of murder, and condemned to be hanged and gibbeted near where they had committed the foul deed. On April 7th, 1787, the sentence was carried into effect. The gibbet remained for three years, and was then blown down in a gale. The hill is still known as Gibbet Hill. The murdered man was buried in Thursley churchyard, and over his remains was erected a gravestone, bearing a carving representing three men killing the sailor, and an inscription as follows:-- In Memory of A generous, but unfortunate Sailor, Who was barbarously murder'd on Hindhead, On September 24th, 1786, By three Villains, After he had liberally treated them, And promised them his further Assistance, On the Road to Portsmouth. When pitying Eyes to see my Grave shall come, And with a generous Tear bedew my tomb; Here shall they read my melancholy fate-- With Murder and Barbarity complete. In perfect Health, and in the Flower of Age, I fell a Victim to three Ruffians' Rage; On bended Knees, I mercy strove t'obtain Their Thirst of Blood made all Entreaties Vain, No dear Relations, or still dearer Friend, Weeps my hard lot or miserable End. Yet o'er my sad remains (my name unknown) A generous public have inscribed this Stone. On February 2nd, 1787, two dissolute young men named Abraham Tull and William Hawkins, aged respectively nineteen and seventeen, waylaid and murdered William Billimore, an aged labourer. They stole his silver watch, but were too frightened to continue their search for money which they expected to find, and made a hasty retreat; but they were soon overtaken, and were subsequently, at Reading Assizes, tried and condemned to be gibbeted on Ufton Common within sight of their homes. For many years their ghastly remains were suspended to gibbet posts, much to the terror and annoyance of the people in the district. No attempt was made to remove the bodies, on account of it being regarded as unlawful, until Mrs. Brocas, of Beaurepaire, then residing at Wokefield Park, gave private orders for them to be taken down in the night and buried, which was accordingly done. During her daily drives she passed the gibbeted men and the sight greatly distressed her, and caused her to have them taken down.[13] The ironwork of the gibbets are in the Reading Museum.