Coterel gang facts for kids

The Coterel gang (also known as Cotterill) was a group of armed people in England during the 1300s, from about 1328 to 1333. They were active in the North Midlands area. The gang was led by James Coterel, and his brothers Nicholas and John were also key members.

During the late 1320s and early 1330s, England was going through a time of big political changes. This led to more lawlessness in many parts of the country, and several groups like the Coterels appeared. It's interesting because James Coterel and his family were part of the "gentry," which meant they were wealthy landowners. People like them were actually expected to help the king keep law and order, not cause trouble!

The Coterel gang often hid in the mountains of Derbyshire and the thick forests of north Nottinghamshire, like Sherwood Forest. They sometimes worked with other groups, such as the Folville gang. As the Coterels became more famous for their actions, more people joined them. Most new members came from nearby areas, but some traveled from as far as Shropshire.

Even though the king tried many times to stop them, the Coterels' activities grew. By 1330, they were involved in serious crimes like murder, demanding money from people (extortion), and kidnapping. They also ran "protection rackets," where they forced people to pay them to avoid harm. They did all this across the Peak District. Surprisingly, they didn't seem to be very unpopular with the local people. In fact, both regular citizens and church groups often helped them by providing food, supplies, and information.

One of their most well-known actions happened in 1332. A royal judge named Richard de Willoughby was sent to Derbyshire to arrest the Coterels. But before he could, he was kidnapped by a group that included members of both the Coterel and Folville gangs. Both gangs had dealt with Judge Willoughby before in his job, and they probably wanted revenge as much as they wanted his money. They got both! Willoughby had to pay a huge sum of 1,300 marks (a type of money back then) to be set free.

This attack on a representative of the king made King Edward III very angry. He sent a special group to the area to bring the Coterels to justice and restore peace. Many gang members were arrested, but almost all of them were found not guilty. The Coterel brothers themselves didn't even show up for their court dates.

The king soon became busy with a war against Scotland (the Second War of Scottish Independence). This gave him an idea: he could recruit experienced men like the Coterels for his army, which would also help solve the local crime problem. So, most members of the Coterel gang received royal pardons (forgiveness for their crimes) after serving in the army abroad or in Scotland. James, Nicholas, and John Coterel all went on to have successful careers later in life. Today, many historians believe that the actions of groups like the Coterels in the 1300s helped inspire many of the stories about Robin Hood that became popular in the 1400s.

What Was Happening in England?

The Coterel gang was active during a time when the government was very divided. The king, Edward II, was not popular with his nobles. This was because he relied too much on certain friends, like Hugh Despenser the Younger. The king gave these friends many special favors and gifts, which made other powerful nobles angry.

Hugh Despenser was hated by many English nobles, especially those who supported the king's cousin, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. In 1322, Lancaster rebelled against Edward II and his friends. But Lancaster was defeated and executed. One of the Coterel brothers and their friends from the Bradbourne family were involved in this rebellion. Historians like J. R. Maddicott think that the Coterel gang's actions might have been partly political, as they were against King Edward II. The gang certainly grew stronger during the last years of Edward II's rule and the early years of Edward III's reign, which was a very lawless and violent time.

Even though members of their own family were "contrariants" (meaning they opposed Edward II and the Despensers), the Coterel brothers still stole from them when they had the chance. For example, after a battle in 1322, when the nobles who opposed the king lost, the Coterels ambushed the fleeing survivors. They robbed them of their horses and armor. Another time, they stole "a quantity of silver plate" (fancy dishes), but then they were ambushed by a small group of Welsh people who took their loot!

Who Were the Coterels?

The Coterel family was known for being large and often involved in legal disputes. Nicholas, James, and John were the sons of Ralph Coterel, a major landowner in Derbyshire. Nicholas had been involved in Lancaster's rebellion in 1322, though we don't know how deeply. He later received a pardon for it.

James Coterel, when he was young, has been called a "14th-century juvenile delinquent." He was the oldest brother and, according to historian Barbara Hanawalt, the strongest personality among them. He was the clear leader of the gang, which was even called the "Society of James Coterel" in records. James became quite important in the local community. His group was like a "federation of gangs" because its members changed often, and it connected with similar groups in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Rutland.

How the Gang Started

We don't know exactly why James Coterel started his life of crime. Perhaps, suggests historian J. G. Bellamy, he started small, found he was good at it, and realized it was an easy way to make money in a fairly rich area. The Coterel gang was made up of "criminal gentry"—wealthy landowners who, strangely enough, were usually responsible for keeping law and order in their areas. They were joined by people from lower classes, with a few local men forming the core of the gang.

The group is first mentioned in official records on August 2, 1328. On that day, the three Coterel brothers, along with Roger le Sauvage and others, attacked the vicar (a church leader) of Bakewell, Walter Can, in his church. They forced him out and stole ten shillings from his collection plate. This crime was encouraged by Robert Bernard, who had held several important jobs. He had worked for the king's office in Westminster, taught at Oxford University, and was the registrar (record keeper) of Lichfield Cathedral at the time. Bernard himself had been the vicar of Bakewell in 1328 but had been forced out by his church members for stealing church money. He was, Bellamy says, "an unsavory individual" and may have even taken part in the attack on Walter Can.

What Did the Gang Do?

The Coterels and their friends were a "greenwood gang," meaning they liked to hide in local woods. They worked with similar groups, especially the Folvilles. When Eustace Folville hid in Derbyshire, James Coterel was later described as his leader. Even though the Coterels were of a slightly lower social status than Folville (who was a knight), they were still part of the gentry.

They were known to hide in the "wild forests of the High Peak"—James Coterel was even called "the king of the Peak." They had spies watching for the sheriff's men and avoided capture this way at least once. The Coterels had a rule: never stay more than a month in the same place. But they did return to certain safe houses from time to time. One area they focused on was around the village of Stainsby, where the Sauvage family lived and where the Coterels often set up their headquarters.

Meanwhile, King Edward II continued to upset his nobles. By 1326, his wife, Queen Isabella, and his oldest son, Edward, Earl of Chester, had gone to live in France. Isabella soon became the leader of the opposition to the King. With Roger Mortimer, she invaded England, removed King Edward from power, and ruled instead. The Coterel gang's ongoing violence, and the authorities' failure to stop it, made Mortimer and Isabella decide to take a strong approach to law and order. But this didn't have much effect.

James Coterel committed murders in Derby in 1329 and 1330. In 1330, he killed Sir William Knyveton and also John Matkynson in Bradley. James Coterel was supposed to be arrested for the crime that year, but he escaped. Both he and Laurence Coterel were accused of damaging the lands of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster (the dead Earl of Lancaster's brother). Lancaster later sued the three Coterel brothers for the damage they had done to his park and hunting grounds in Duffield. He said they had "hunted and carried away deer and did many other wrongs." The Coterels didn't bother to show up in court. In their absence, they were found guilty, and the damage was estimated at £60. The cattle the Coterels stole might have been worth as much as £5,200!

Most of the gang members who faced legal action were found to be "vagabonds" (people without a fixed home). The sheriff postponed their hearings three times before giving up. Sir Roger de Wennesley was then sent to arrest them on December 18 of that year. De Wennesley was a "sworn enemy" of the Coterels, having stabbed one of their relatives and gang associates, Laurence Coterel, to death earlier that year. De Wennesley supposedly couldn't find the gang, and they were declared "outlaws" in March 1331. One person said their outlaw status "seems to have inspired them to expand the range of their criminal behavior." Soon after de Wennesley's failed mission, the Coterels kidnapped John Staniclyf, one of de Wennesley's tenants. They refused to release Staniclyf until he promised never to oppose the Coterels again. He was also forced to pay £20 to ensure he would keep his promise.

A High Peak panorama, Derbyshire, where the band sometimes hid while on the run

Kidnapping a Judge!

The kidnapping of Richard Willoughby has been called a "daring and very high-profile event" by historians. He was captured in Melton Mowbray on January 14, 1332, and quickly taken away while he was on a legal trip in the East Midlands. The Coterels, along with members of the Folville gang, had between 20 and 30 men. They demanded 1,300 marks for Willoughby's release. Willoughby was a rich man and managed to get the money by the next day. Historians believe the risk of attacking such an important person was worth it for such a large amount of money. The Folvilles received 300 marks of the ransom.

It's likely that the Coterels and their friends were partly motivated by revenge. Many of them had faced Willoughby before when he was a judge. He had investigated the Coterels' crimes in 1329 and heard the complaint of the Bakewell vicar they had evicted in 1331. Willoughby was known for being corrupt. According to old records, he would sell the laws "as if they were cattle or oxen." The Coterel associates felt they had good reasons to be angry with him. His kidnapping was almost certainly a chance for revenge for some past wrong, real or imagined, as much as it was for money.

The ransom money was divided up at one of Sir Robert Touchet's manors. Touchet was an important landowner in the Midlands and was probably the Coterels' main supporter. He and his brother, Edmund Touchet (who was a church leader nearby), knew about and approved of the Coterel plan. These men, who gave the gang help when needed, show the kind of support the Coterels had locally. The kidnapping of Willoughby was not just a local crime. For the king, it was "an unprecedented assault on the dignity of its bench and the authority of its law." In Derbyshire, many people didn't feel sorry for the judge.

Who Helped the Gang?

The Coterels received a lot of support from the local public, especially from wealthy landowners and churchmen. Inside Lichfield Cathedral, besides Robert Bernard, there were seven canons (church officials) who were later accused of supporting the Coterels and giving James "protection, help, and supplies." Historian Bellamy notes that there was "no lack of worldly knowledge in the Lichfield cloisters." One canon, John Kinnersley, acted as James Coterel's legal money collector many times. The Cathedral chapter (the group of canons) supported the gang even after their actions were being officially investigated. It seems likely that the chapter hired them several times, for example, to rob the vicar of Bakewell and to collect church taxes. The Cathedral chapter's support was key in protecting Coterel from arrest.

Another local supporter of the Coterels was the prior (leader) of Lenton Priory in Nottinghamshire. He once gave them a warning about an upcoming royal investigation. Similar help came from the Cistercian monastery at Haverholme.

While the gang members were on the run, local people kept them supplied with food and information. These supporters were always much more numerous than the gang itself. It's estimated that the Coterels could count on about 150 such supporters (57 of whom were just from the villages of Bakewell and Mackworth). This support wasn't entirely based on fear. People also didn't necessarily think outlaws were romantic heroes who helped the community. Perhaps, says Hanawalt, "respect and a reluctant admiration" was how most people felt. For example, Walter Aune once delivered food to them in the woods. Another time, he delivered rent money from a manor to Roger le Sauvage while Sauvage was hiding with the Coterels. When the gang hid in Bakewell, a local man named Nicholas Taddington brought them food and showed them secret paths. Sometimes, they had to find food themselves, and one member, Pymme, sent his servants to do this.

The Coterel gang also had support within local government, including at least six bailiffs (local officials) in the High Peak area. These were supporters, not necessarily active members. They included at least seven local men who attended parliament during that decade. Another secret ally was Sir Robert Ingram, whom the Coterels had personally recruited. Ingram was an important man. He had been the High Sheriff of Nottingham and Derbyshire and mayor of Nottingham for two terms. It was Ingram who wrote to a Coterel spy in Nottingham Castle, William de Usfton, who was also a counterfeiter. Ingram's letter told the Coterels that their hiding place in the High Peak forest had been discovered, allowing them to escape.

Not everyone supported them. In 1331, a petition was sent to parliament complaining about wealthy landowners joining together to kidnap and kill the king's loyal officials. This was almost certainly a hidden reference to the Coterel gang. A jury later reported how the gang "rode armed publicly and secretly in manner of war by day and night."

What Happened Next?

The Coterels and their men faced very few legal punishments. James Coterel was eventually pardoned for all his "extortions, oppressions, receivings of felons, usurpations, and ransoms" in 1351. This was probably thanks to Queen Philippa, who seemed to support him even when he was a criminal. The few gang members who were brought before the King's Court in 1333 were found not guilty. The three Coterel brothers seemed to continue receiving support from Lichfield Cathedral. Robert Bernard kept his job at Oxford University and his church position until he died in 1341.

Many gang members seem to have joined the king's army in Scotland and in France during the Hundred Years' War in the later 1330s. This directly led to the end of the gang's activities. For example, de Legh joined in 1330, and both James' and Nicholas Coterel's names are on the 1338 list to join the royal army in Flanders. The king, for his part, stopped sending his officials to the region, claiming that peace had been restored. In reality, he was busy with the war against Scotland that had started again the previous year. Historians note that when the king was busy with projects abroad, the old problems soon returned. Those who fought for the king were pardoned for their past crimes when they returned.

There were also rewards. In May 1332, James Coterel was given the guardianship of Elizabeth Meverel (meaning he was in charge of her property). Coterel's friend Chetulton was sentenced to hang, but he produced a pardon obtained for him by Ralph, Lord Neville. When it looked like he might be charged with a second murder, he produced another pardon. By July, Chetulton was back in the king's favor and was even asked to capture robbers in Nottingham. In 1334, Sir William Aune was appointed to inspect the king's castles in Wales. That same year, William de Uston—the only gang member who had been found guilty and sentenced to death—was asked to investigate some murders in Leicester believed to have been carried out by Sir Richard Willoughby's servants. One of the last times James Coterel's name appears in official records shows that he also regained the king's trust. In November 1336, "he was on the right side of law," having been asked to arrest a "miscreant Leicestershire parson." Historians say they became changed people, and the Coterel brothers never again rode "armed and in power."

Why Are They Important Today?

The Coterel gang has been described as a sign of how little control the king had over the provinces in the Midlands during that time. Their activities also helped speed up the legal idea of "conspiracy," which was just starting. The king's power was weakened because he seemed unable to stop the Coterels' widespread lawlessness. The Coterels' actions show how connected criminals, soldiers, and royal officials could be. Sometimes, as historian Carter Revard says, "the outlaw of one year could be the brave soldier of the next."

The Coterels were "unique to their time and location." One scholar suggests they show a changing system where loyalties to a lord became less clear. This meant some men chose to operate outside the traditional feudal system. While much of the gang warfare in early 14th-century England was blamed on unemployed soldiers returning from the north, organized crime like the Coterels' was more a result of the political problems at home than the king's wars.

Connections to Robin Hood

Historian John Bellamy has pointed out how much the stories of Robin Hood and Gamelyn are similar to real historical events like those the Coterels were involved in. He also notes that there are just as many ways the stories are different from history. For example, in the story of Gamelyn, even when he was a fugitive, his tenants (people who rented land from him) remained loyal. They would kneel, take off their hats, and greet him as "here lord," keeping him updated on legal matters. Gamelyn being the "king of the outlaws" was also seen in how famous the Coterel gang was locally. Similarly, the Coterels' habit of attacking royal officials is "very much Gamelyn style," says T. A. Shippey, as was the king's willingness to pardon them for military service.

Similarities have been noticed between the tales of Robin Hood and the actions of armed groups like the Coterels, especially in their attacks on authority figures. The "pavage" (a tax for road repair) that Hood's gang collected is similar to the money the Coterels demanded. The tale of Adam Bell was also shaped by the Coterels' and Folvilles' activities.

Some historians, like R. B. Dobson and John Taylor, believe there's only a limited connection between the invention of Robin Hood and the Coterels' crimes. They don't think the Coterels "seem to offer very promising matter for romanticization." However, people at the time were aware of such a link. In 1439, a complaint against another Derbyshire gangster said he robbed and stole with many others and then disappeared into the woods "like as it had been Robin Hood and his meiny." John Maddicott, on the other hand, sees "an accumulation of coincidences" between the Coterel and Folville gangs and the stories of Hood.

Maddicott describes the capture of Willoughby as very much "a feat reminiscent of the world of ballads" and the gang's popularity as "close to the standing of Robin Hood and his men as folk heroes." The people who actively supported the Coterels in Derbyshire, Maddicott says, were also the same people who later listened to the Hood ballads. After all, he says, they did take from the rich, "even if they did not give to the poor, and if the rich were also royal officials, like Willoughby, such retribution may have seemed well deserved." David Feldman also describes the Coterels and their supporters as "disgruntled gentry with an eye for the main chance" who acted like Robin Hood types. But, like Maddicott, Feldman repeats that what they "robbed from the rich never reached the poor." They had a certain "gentrified behavior," as it's been called, along with the usual brutality of gangs, which fits well with the ballads.

Coterel's friend Robert Ingram has been suggested as the original inspiration for the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Gest of Robin Hood, a story from the late 1400s. The close connection with criminal churchmen and clear outlaws like the Coterels has also been linked to the character of Friar Tuck. While Tuck was a "large, merry body," he was also the leader of his own "merry gang of murderers and thieves."

Images for kids

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  The petition from Walter, Vicar of Bakewell, Derbyshire, dated around 1331 and written in old French to the King, asking for justice against the Coterel gang who beat him up and forced him from his church.

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  The King's response on the back of Walter Can's petition, also in old French, saying, "Let him have a writ of oyer and terminer for this horrible trespass."

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  Victorian illustration showing a reconstruction of Nottingham Castle and its surroundings in the later medieval period.

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  West front of Lichfield Cathedral; the Dean and Chapter hired the Coterel gang from the beginning, protected them during their crime wave, and then supported them in later years.