Highwaymen & Highway Robbery

Beyond the law....

The dangerous figure in the road at night...the dashing and romantic gentleman thief...the loner on the run for a crime he didn't commit...the righteous rebel who rises from obscurity to help the less fortunate-- highwaymen are some of the most beloved and universal of archetypal heroes--or anti-heroes--that we know. Literature and media both about with the light-fingered gentry and artful dodgers, footpads, desperados, and other dashing, dangerous and fascinating miscreants. 

Highwaymen thrived in England in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, becoming legendary and romantic figures. Highwaymen were "as common as crows" from around 1650 to 1800, and in an age where travel was already hazardous due to the lack of decent roads, no one rode alone without fear of being robbed, and people often joined company or hired escorts. No wonder then that travellers often wrote their wills before they set out....

This website features articles, references and other information relating to highwaymen and highway robbery. A list of websites and reading materials for those who want to delve deeper is provided in the Resources section of the website. Please note that this is a 'hobby' site, and we don't have the time or resources to research obscure names for you or help with ANY genealogical enquiries.  Time constraints mean it's unlikely there will new content added in the foreseeable future, but I've decided it's worthwhile keeping the site for those interested to read.  I hope you enjoy your visit!