A MEDIAEVAL form of painful punishment, involving the branding of criminals by burning and scarring their hands, was still being administered by the courts at this time 200 years ago.

The Worcester Journal for this week of 1803 reported on two such sentences delivered at the latest local Assizes:

"Thomas Anderton, otherwise Andrews, for having two wives, was burnt in the hand and ordered to remain in gaol for six months. Job Watkins, for picking the pocket of Mr Thomas of Claines, was also ordered to be burnt in the hand."

A piece of local scandal was also widely broadcast in the same 1803 edition of the Journal: "On Thursday morning, a fine male child, about seven months old, was found at the door of Mr Jennings, a glazier in Newport Street of this city.

"The child was committed to the care of the parish officers who had public announcements made about the child, whereupon some persons came to view it and declared it belonged to a woman who came the night before in a wagon from London and who, it seems, two or three years ago, was servant to a cooper, now dead, that lived over our Bridge.

"It is said that while in his service she had a child and lay at his house the same time as his own wife did. It being found out where this unnatural creature went after dropping the child in Newport Street, she was apprehended and obliged to take the child again which, in all likelihood, she will take the first opportunity of disposing of more securely."

On a brighter note, the same Journal issue reported: "Great numbers of persons daily resort to the King's Head in the High Street in this city and express the highest satisfaction on viewing Mr Motet's six inimitable pieces of marble sculpture which represent the passions of Our Saviour's life from His Last Supper to His Resurrection.

"They were 27 years in finishing and were designed as a present for the French King to adorn his Royal chapel at Versailles but were taken during the last war against France. They will continue here for a short time longer and afterwards be removed to Evesham, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Stroud and Cirencester on their way to Bristol."