Shropshire Routes to Roots

3. The evidence

Introduction

There were several different pieces of evidence which were brought to court. The prosecution used both eyewitness evidence and hard evidence to suggest that John Mapp was guilty. Choose one of the links below and follow what happened on the night of the murder and afterwards. There are two different versions, the second of which is more difficult.

Both the links below will open a new browser window.

• The Modern Version (easier)
  You will be told what happened.
  
  
• Selection of Evidence from the Original Trial (harder)
  You will read selected witness statements as they were made in the original trial. They are taken from a report by the Shrewsbury Chronicle, 23rd March, 1868. These are what the jury heard at the time. You will have to interpret these yourself.

Witnesses

In the trial, each witness would have sworn to the oath below, in which they promise to tell the truth:

The evidence you shall give to the Court and Jury sworn between our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the Prisoner at the Bar shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

So help you God

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