Who was David Hartley? Cragg Vale Coiners
David Hartley was the leader of the Cragg Vale Coiners, a gang of counterfeiters who operated in the West Riding of Yorkshire in the late 18th century. Hartley was a weaver who lived in Cragg Vale, and he is said to have learned the art of counterfeiting from his father.
The Cragg Vale Coiners used a variety of methods to counterfeit coins, including clipping, filing, and casting. They also used a variety of techniques to disguise their counterfeit coins, including making them look like foreign coins and using different metals.
The authorities eventually discovered the gang's activities, and many members were arrested and convicted. Hartley was sentenced to death and hanged in York in 1775.
Hartley was a charismatic and ruthless leader, and he is said to have been very popular with the other gang members. He was also a skilled counterfeiter, and his coins were said to be very difficult to distinguish from genuine coins.
The Cragg Vale Coiners were a notorious group of criminals, but they also played a significant role in British history. Their activities helped to highlight the problems with the British currency system at the time, and they led to reforms that made it more difficult to counterfeit coins.
Hartley's story has been told in a number of books and films, including the 1975 film "The Gallows Pole" and the 2008 novel "The Last Coiner".
Where is David Hartley of The Cragg Vale Coiners buried?
David Hartley, the leader of the Cragg Vale Coiners, was buried in the churchyard of St Thomas à Becket in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire. His grave is marked by a simple headstone that reads:
Here lies David Hartley, who was executed at York for Coining, April 28th, 1770, aged 37 years.
Hartley's grave is a popular tourist destination, and it is often visited by people who are interested in the history of the Cragg Vale Coiners.