Parson Darby: Likely explanation of the myth

THE HIGHWAYMAN

Yateley parish is situated astride the Exeter Road which carried large numbers of individual travellers and coaches. Most of the land area of our parish was barren heath -- the notorious Harfordbridge Flats.

From Blackwater to Staines stretched the sparsely populated Chobham Common and Bagshot Heath. Hounslow and Colnbrook, dominated today by Heathrow Airport, were open heathland. Windsor Forest filled up the triangle between Yateley, Reading and Windsor. It is not surprising that for two centuries highwaymen chose to operate on the empty heathland southwest of London.

It is equally not surprising that the collective consciousness of the parish should remember the impact of these highwaymen. Some of their victims are recorded in the parish burial registers. When the highwayman got away, their exploits would have been the constant discussion and hearsay at the Blackwater inns. Even when caught, only their latest exploits would come to light in their trials. A picture would build up in the collective consciousness of the successful highwaymen, as yet roaming free -- the subject of conjecture and fear, and perhaps even envy.

There are three main elements in the Parson Darby myth: a highwayman, who was (1) a womanising (2) clergyman, was (3) hung. Versions of the myth conflict as to when and where he was hung.

THE CLERGYMAN

Until about 1680 a highwayman could have been a Royalist clergyman ejected from his living during the Civil Wars. At any time a highwayman could have used the garb of a clergyman as a disguise.

The collective consciousness of Yateley could have vague memories of highwaymen in clerical garb who had no connection with Yateley or nearby parishes but operated on the heaths around here. One masterof disguise, was the Golden Farmer who operated around here for nearly 40 years. Until he was caught no-one even suspected this highwayman's real identity.

Who were the prime suspects who might have been disguised as Parson Darby?