Items linked to Red Barn murder sell for £12,000

2 days ago

Ben ParkerSuffolk

News image — The brutal killing took place at Red Barn, on a farm owned by the Corder family

Reeman Dansie A historical-looking illustration of Red Barn, in Polstead. There is a male-looking figure standing outside the barn and in the middle of two smaller barns. — The brutal killing took place at Red Barn, on a farm owned by the Corder family

Letters and other items linked to a 19th Century murder have been sold at auction for more than twice their valuation.

William Corder fatally shot his lover Maria Marten at the Red Barn in Polstead, Suffolk, in 1827, and was convicted and hanged a year later.

The lot included artefacts such as Corder's letters and defence speech and was sold at Reeman Dansie in Colchester, Essex, on Thursday for £12,700, after it had been estimated to sell for between £4,000 and £6,000.

"The Red Barn murder had all the traits of intrigue, sex and gothic horror, which made it the biggest murder story of the era," a spokesperson for the auction house said.

Reeman Dansie Four historial-looking documents, including illustrations of Red Barn and a male-looking figure with a long coat on, laid-out against a white background. There is a also a patterned book cover / folder in which it appears the documents are stored. — The historical items were sold as part of Reeman Dansie's East Anglian, Antiques and Fine Art auction

The Red Barn murder, as it came to be known, centred on the relationship of Marten and Corder, who had planned to elope in 1827.

The couple, aged 24 and 22, arranged to meet at the Red Barn, on the Corders' family farm between Ipswich and Sudbury, before running away to Ipswich to marry.

But they never made it to the county town, and neither was seen for months.

Corder was discovered hiding outside London and Marten has been buried at the lovers' rendezvous after being shot in the neck.

Getty Images A black ink drawing of Maria Marten, a young woman with dark curls under a white bonnet tied under her chin. — Maria Marten lived at home with her mole-catcher father, stepmother, sister and her son

Corder was arrested and whilst in prison in Bury St Edmunds he received letters from his mother and sister, which were included among the items in the lot that was sold on Thursday.

As was his lengthy defence speech, which was written from the confines of prison.

The Suffolk books bound in human skin

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Polstead