A groundbreaking investigation led by a Cambridge criminologist has unveiled compelling new evidence regarding the brutal murder of a medieval English priest, John Forde, who was fatally attacked in a busy London thoroughfare nearly 700 years ago. This extraordinary research sheds fresh light on a violent episode from the 14th century, intertwining themes of power, vengeance, and the fraught relationship between the church and nobility.
The discovery forms a pivotal component of the Medieval Murder Maps project, based at Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology, which meticulously compiles data on unnatural deaths across England during the 1300s. By analyzing coroners’ rolls—official records of sudden or suspicious deaths—professor Manuel Eisner and his team have reconstructed the intricate social and political backdrop of Forde’s killing, revealing profound insights into medieval crime dynamics.
At the heart of the case lies a tangled web of scandal and reprisal. According to archival records, the slain priest John Forde was entangled romantically and criminally with Ela Fitzpayne, a high-ranking noblewoman subjected to harsh penance by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The punishment was public and shaming, intended to assert ecclesiastical authority over the aristocracy, yet the enduring hostility and intrigue suggest a deeper, more vengeful motive behind Forde’s violent death.
Central to this narrative is a letter from Archbishop Simon Mepham dating back to 1332, accusing Ela Fitzpayne of multiple adulteries, including a liaison with Forde himself. Her penance included humiliating rituals such as barefoot walks through Salisbury Cathedral carrying a heavy candle—a symbolic act designed to mark her shame visibly before society. Notably, Ela’s refusal to comply with these demands indicates a defiance that perhaps fueled subsequent tragic events.
Further complicating the story, other discovered documents reveal that Ela Fitzpayne, her husband Robert Fitzpayne, and John Forde conspired to lead a violent raid on a Benedictine priory, seizing livestock and causing widespread destruction. This incident, occurring within the context of escalating Anglo-French tensions preluding the Hundred Years’ War, exposes the overlapping spheres of aristocratic patronage, ecclesiastical discipline, and opportunistic criminality. The raid underscores Forde’s ambiguous loyalties—caught between his clerical duties and his association with the Fitzpayne family’s outlaw behavior.
The coroners’ rolls paint a vivid picture of Forde’s demise in May 1337. On a crowded evening near St Paul’s Cathedral, Forde was waylaid by a group including Hugh Lovell—Ela Fitzpayne’s brother—and two former servants of the noble family. Lovell inflicted the fatal wound with a dagger, slitting Forde’s throat while the others stabbed his abdomen. The gruesome and public nature of the attack signals an intention far beyond mere murder; it served as a brutal demonstration of aristocratic power and a stark warning to the ecclesiastical establishment.
Intriguingly, the jury in Forde’s inquest consisted of an unprecedented 33 men, significantly more than typical for the era, indicating the case’s high profile. Despite this, the judicial response was marked by conspicuous inaction. The accused were identified, yet their whereabouts were unknown or willfully concealed, evincing a justice system deeply influenced by class and status. Only one perpetrator, Hugh Colne, a former servant, was eventually charged and imprisoned years later, illustrating the period’s systemic impunity for the nobility.
Westcheap, the district where the murder occurred, emerges in this research as a notorious medieval homicide hotspot. Busy markets, guilds, and taverns made it a crucible of social tension and violence, with documented incidents ranging from petty disputes to orchestrated assassinations. The public setting of Forde’s murder resonated within this context of extrajudicial violence, reinforcing power structures through spectacle and intimidation.
Professor Eisner’s team leveraged advanced digital humanities techniques to map the spatial and social dynamics of homicide in medieval English cities. By digitizing and translating the Latin coroners’ rolls, the Medieval Murder Maps project reconstructs not just crime scenes but also broader urban patterns of violence and social conflict. This interdisciplinary approach merges criminology, history, and data science to illuminate the nexus of power, law, and violence in medieval society.
The case also underscores the complex interplay between ecclesiastical authority and aristocratic privilege. Archbishop Mepham’s strict enforcement of moral discipline among the gentry and nobility, exemplified by his severe sanctions on Fitzpayne, reflects the church’s attempts to regulate elite behavior through public penance. Yet, Forde’s apparent immunity from punishment and his involvement in criminal acts suggests the uneven application of ecclesiastical justice, influenced by shifting alliances and political machinations.
Underlying this historical drama is a potent human psychology theme—the corrosive effects of public humiliation and the cycle of revenge it engenders. Eisner highlights how shaming rituals, intended to enforce moral order, may instead have sown deep-seated resentment, driving acts of violent retribution. The Forde assassination exemplifies how feelings of anger and shame, once internalized, can escalate into calculated acts of assassination and sustained vendettas.
Notably, Ela Fitzpayne’s profile defies typical medieval gender norms. Her role as a noblewoman orchestrating violent raids, defying episcopal authority, and directing a politically charged assassination reveals a figure of considerable agency and ruthlessness. Despite her transgressions, she retained her social standing, inheriting her husband’s estate upon his death. This paradox underscores the fluidity and fragility of power structures in 14th-century England.
By publishing digital facsimiles of the original coroner’s report and Episcopal letters online, the Medieval Murder Maps project democratizes access to these medieval sources, inviting further scholarly engagement and public interest. Complemented by academic articles and a podcast series exploring individual cases, including Forde and Fitzpayne’s, the project demonstrates the enduring relevance of medieval criminological studies in understanding historical and contemporary violence.
Professor Manuel Eisner reflects on the enduring legacy of such historical episodes: “The Forde murder reveals how elites can manipulate violence and justice to maintain power. It is a stark reminder that when formal rule of law is weak or compromised, those with status may resort to extrajudicial measures—behaviors that remain all too familiar in contemporary global contexts.” Through this innovative blend of rigorous archival research and cutting-edge data visualization, the Medieval Murder Maps project offers profound insights into the human condition across centuries.
Subject of Research:
Medieval homicide and social dynamics; the murder of John Forde and aristocratic power in 14th-century England.
Article Title:
Spatial Dynamics of Homicide in Medieval English Cities: The Medieval Murder Map Project
News Publication Date:
6 June 2025
Web References:
https://medievalmurdermap.co.uk/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10609-025-09512-7
References:
Mepham, Simon (1332). Archbishop’s letters regarding Ela Fitzpayne.
Cambridge University Institute of Criminology, Medieval Murder Maps Project coroners’ rolls.
Image Credits:
The London Archives.
Keywords:
Medieval crime, John Forde, Ela Fitzpayne, coroners’ rolls, Medieval Murder Maps, 14th-century England, aristocratic violence, ecclesiastical justice, urban homicide, revenge killing, spatial criminology, medieval justice system.
