Page 14 - The Devil's Arsonist

Chapter 4

The Flaming Heart

Flaming Heart Memorial, St. Mary’s Church, Burwell, Cambridgeshire

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Ipswich Journal, 30 March 1728: “At the Assizes at Cambridge, held at the Castle for the
County of Cambridge, before Mr. Baron Hale, … one Richard Whitaker, committed by Sir
Roger Jenyne, … and charged upon Suspicion of setting Fire to a Barn in Burwell, in which
about one hundred and twenty five persons that were in it to see a Puppet-Show, were burnt,
or otherwise destroy’d, was try’d and acquitted of the Fact.”

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The Derby Mercury, 18 February 1774. “A report prevails, that an old Man died a few
days ago, at a village near Newmarket, who just before his death seemed very unhappy; said
he had a Burthen on his Mind, which he must disclose, and then confessed that he set fire to
the Barn at Burwell, on the 8th of September 1727, when no less than 80 Persons unhappily
lost their lives, that he was an Ostler at that Time at or near Cambridge and that having an
antipathy to the Puppet-shew man was the Cause of his committing that diabolical action,
which was attended with such dreadful Consequences.”