The Background Cornwall in 1844 was a largely rural county of scattered villages and farms. One such farm was Penhale, adjoining Bodmin Moor. Location of Penhale Farm:

The owner was a 61 year old widow, Phillipa Peter, who ran the holding with the assistance of her 38 year old son, John, and three live-in servants, John Stevens, Matthew Weeks and Charlotte Dymond. It had been well known for some time that Charlotte and Matthew had been seeing each other. There was, however, a rival for Charlotte’s affections. Thomas Prout, aged about 26 was a nephew by marriage of Mrs Peter, and lived some four miles away. Matthew had worked with Prout before, and they had not got on well together. A few days after Lady Day, Prout visited Penhale, and John Stevens overheard words between him and Matthew. Prout had said that he was thinking of moving to Penhale, and if he did, he would soon take away Charlotte from Matthew. On Sundays at about 4 o’clock, Charlotte and Matthew had both changed into their best clothes and were preparing to go out, though where they were bound for they didn’t say. Charlotte indicated that she would not be back in time to milk the cows, though Matthew would. The two set off together. Later in the evening Isaac Cory, a 63 year old farmer, arrived at Penhale, having been to the afternoon service at the local church in Davidstow. He mentioned that on the way he had seen Matthew, who he knew at once by his limping gait, in company with a young woman. He had not been able to identify the woman, but he described the clothing Charlotte had been wearing for her walk – a green striped dress and red shawl. Although it had been foggy earlier, he reckoned he could still see a fair distance. Charlotte’s Disappearance Mrs Peter’s servants were expected to be in at half past nine of an evening. Matthew returned home, but on being questioned said he did not know where Charlotte was. At half past ten the men went to their beds, and Mrs Peter waited up for Charlotte, but Charlotte didn’t appear and at half past eleven, Mrs Peter went to bed. Monday was washday and Charlotte was still missing. Matthew was again questioned but repeated that he knew nothing of where Charlotte was. Later that day Mrs Peter was surprised to find that Matthew’s blue stockings that he had worn the previous day were muddied up to the knees. It had rained on the Sunday but not, she felt, enough to get the stockings into that mess. The mud, she observed, was like that found in the turf-pits on the moor. Later she again asked Matthew where Charlotte was and this time he said he had accompanied her as far as the gate in Higher Down Field, just before the edge of the moorlands. Charlotte, he said, had gone onto the moor alone, but he had gone in the opposite direction towards Halworthy. Mrs Peter was puzzled by this story, for according to Matthew he had not been on the moor at all that afternoon, but Isaac Cory had seen him on the moor with a woman of Charlotte’s description. It was on Tuesday that John Stevens first noticed that Matthew’s shirt was torn at the collar and a button missing. Matthew insisted on mending it himself. Suspicions were growing, and that day Matthew mentioned to a visitor that if Charlotte were to be found dead, her mother would be tried for her life. Mrs Peter tackled him again, insisting on knowing the truth., and this time he had a story to tell. Charlotte, he said had gone to take up a position at Blisland, ten miles away. The work of the farm continued as normal. That Friday a pig was to be killed, and the local butcher was to do it. Matthew was still wearing the shirt he had worn the previous Sunday, as there would be no clean one till next Sunday, and asked the butcher if he could kill the pig, which he did. By now, it had been decided that some action must be taken. John Peter and John Stevens went out to check on the truthfulness of Matthew’s story. When the two Johns arrived back at Penhale the results of their enquiries gave rise to even deeper suspicion. Matthew’s story was not true. But where was Matthew? On Sunday April 21st, a week after Charlotte’s disappearance, he had put on his best clothes, taken an umbrella and walked out of Penhale farm, never to return. The following Monday was washday again, and Mrs Peter found the shirt Matthew had worn on the day of his walk with Charlotte, and had continued to wear during the week. Inspecting it she saw that the stitching of the pleats on the front was unripped, and the collar was partly torn off. There were also some blood spots on the shirt. By now, the case against Matthew seemed complete, especially as he seemed to have fled, so it was decided that the Moor should be searched. The Body On the Tuesday, the three Johns, Peter, Stevens and Westlake together with a neighbour, set out to search the Moors. As they proceeded through Higher Down field they noticed the print of pattens, undershoes worn by women to protect their shoes against the wet. They also found a man’s boot print. They followed the stream to a place where the land was washed in water when the level rose in bad weather. Beside the stream was the body of a woman. Roughtor Ford:

She lay face upwards, about a foot from the where the water was flowing. Her throat had been cut. Her shoes were missing as were her pattens, bonnet, bonnet cap, handkerchief, bag, shawl and gloves. There was no blood to be seen and no sign of a weapon, but just behind the head was a broken coral necklace. This picture shows the sloping bank on the site of the murder and the steep bank on the other side:

Another view of the murder site:

It was decided that Matthew Weeks was guity. There was a warrant for his arrest, but where was Matthew? The Constable knew that Matthew’s sister lived in Plymouth, and it was there that Matthew was found and arrested. It seemed that he had been intending to travel on to the Channel Islands. A search of Matthew’s pockets revealed a pair of striped ladies’ gloves. His best boots were taken to the moor to compare them with the prints found there, and although the prints were no longer very distinct, it was felt that there was a match. The constable also found some marks on Matthew’s jacket which he was sure was blood. One of Charlotte’s handkerchiefs was in Matthew’s pocket and his own handkerchief, spotted with blood. At his trial he was found guilty, and Matthew was sentenced to be hanged. While in Gaol, Matthew dictated two letters (he could not read or write) one to his family, which mainly dealt with the disposition of his assets, and one to Mrs Peter. He also dictated a confession: “I hope young men will take a warning by me and not put too much confidence in young women, the same as I did; and I hope young females will take the same by young men. I loved that girl as dear as I loved my life; and after all the kind treatment I have showed her, and then she said she would have nothing more to do with me. And after this was done, then bitterly I did lament, thinking what would be my end. And I thank the judge and jury too, for they have given me no more than was my due.” To summarise: Charlotte Dymond was last seen alive with Matthew Weeks, whom she had been seeing for two years and had thrown over for another man. Matthew returned from that walk with a torn and bloody shirt, and trousers covered in turfy mud. Before murder was suspected he told lies about both his and Charlotte’s whereabouts during the crucial time, and when suspicions against him grew, he fled. Her body was found near the spot where they were last seen together, and her possessions buried in turfy mud. After Mathhew’s trial he made no protestations of innocence, but accepted his fate. Monument to Charlotte Dymond:

Grave of Charlotte Dymond: