Footstone

In the United Kingdom a grave usually has a headstone. However if the person was a felon (particularly a murderer) then their grave had a footstone to denote that they were a felon/murderer. Examples of this practice are in the "Lucy Keep" of Lincoln Castle, Lincolnshire, England.

The last person to be hanged at this castle (Willian Clarke alias Slenderman) was hanged in March 1877 and his grave with its footstone can be viewed by a personal visit (his trial record, etc., can be viewed at web site [www.ndstory.com/murder]). There are other murderers graves in the "Lucy Keep" with footstones, but because of World War II solders using records to start a fire, not all the occupants of the graves are known.