The Red Barn Murder in Polstead: what really happened?

The Suffolk village of Polstead became notorious in the 1820s as the site of the “Red Barn Murder”, one of the most infamous crimes of the 19th century.

Most people probably think they know the story - but, almost 200 years later, there are still many rumours and unanswered questions. Local author and artist Laina West, who lives near Southwold, has carried out extensive research into the tragedy, and looks at it from a different angle in her new novel, The Red Barn.

An image of the victim, Maria 'The book suggests an alternative explanation of the dark events of that year,' said Laina, who writes under the name LM West. 'The story is told from the point of view of the victim, Maria, whose voice seemed to me to have become lost in all the publicity that surrounded the case.'

Laina added that even Maria’s surname has been changed over the years, after a misspelling in a press report at the time. 'From the trial until now it is commonly spelt as ‘Marten’, but the birth, marriage and death records show that the family name was Martin, so that is what I have called her.'

Maria gave birth to her lover William Corder’s child in 1827, but the baby, her third child, died at just a few weeks old. On May 18, 1827, William told Maria they must elope before police arrived to prosecute her for having children out of wedlock.

She was fearful about leaving in daylight, so Corder suggested she should disguise herself in men’s clothing and meet him at the Red Barn, where she could change. Maria set out to meet her lover at the barn and was never seen again.

Almost a year later, Maria’s young stepmother, Ann, had three graphic dreams, revealing that Maria’s body was buried in the Red Barn. Her body was discovered in April 1828 and William Corder was put on trial for her murder that August.

He was hanged on August 11, 1828 at Bury St Edmunds gaol, in front of a huge crowd, and his body was dissected, as was the law in those days. Laina said that his headless skeleton eventually ended up in the Royal College of Surgeons’ Huntarian Museum, where it was used as a teaching device until a distant relative of Corder’s ran a successful campaign to have his remains cremated and laid to rest.

A bust at Moyse's Hall Museum based on the death mask of William Corder Photo: Newsquest Several copies of his plaster death mask were made. One is still at Moyse’s Hall Museum in Bury St Edmunds, which also has pistols said to have belonged to Corder. Other macabre exhibits include a small brown book, an account of the Red Barn case, which is bound in skin taken from Corder’s back.

Laina’s detailed research for her book included reading the original account of the case and trial by journalist James Curtis, as well as many contemporary newspaper reports. She said: 'The story of Maria Martin and William Corder has been the subject of thousands of words and hundreds of entertainments, from peep and puppet shows to plays, cartoons and ballads. But in all the words written about the case, one person seems to have become lost.

'You can read all about William, his family, and his motivation; and plenty has been written about the Martins (especially Ann) and their background, but the victim in all this, Maria, is seldom mentioned. She is mostly portrayed as either the simple village girl, seduced by the wicked squire, or as little more than a prostitute, no better than she ought to be and therefore not worthy of consideration.

Exhibits at Moyse's Hall Museum include a book bound in William Corder's skin and pistols said to have been owned by him Photo: West Suffolk Heritage Service/Moyse's Hall 'The case continues to fascinate and horrify and, even now, nearly 200 years later, conjecture and rumours abound. For no one knows what really happened.

'This book is a work of fiction, but based on as many truths as I could find. I wanted this to be Maria’s story, told from her point of view as a complex and intelligent young woman who made mistakes but ultimately just wanted to be loved and cherished. I hope I have done her justice.'

Laina is fascinated by Suffolk’s history and her previous novels include This Fearful Thing, reimagining the story of a woman in Southwold who was accused of witchcraft.

The Red Barn by LM West is distributed by Bittern Books and available from all good bookshops. 

For more local history, subscribe to Suffolk magazine at www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/subscribe/suffolk/ (Image: Newsquest)This article first appeared in Suffolk magazine. To subscribe visithttps://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/subscribe/suffolk/

Author Laina West