The Coterel Gang's Reign of Terror

Lawlessness in Fourteenth Century Derbyshire

Ryan Cudworth

• Publisher: Pen and Sword True Crime
• Year: 2026
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781036110673
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

Recounts the rise of the Coterel family as a notorious criminal gang in fourteenth-century England.

The Coterel Gang, who flourished in the Midlands of England during the late 1320s and early 1330s, was led by James Coterel and supported by his brothers Nicholas and John. This period of political upheaval saw an increase in lawlessness, and the Coterels, members of the lesser gentry, were expected to assist the crown in maintaining order but instead encouraged its collapse. Basing themselves in Derbyshire and north Nottinghamshire and their forests, the Coterels frequently cooperated with other groups, including the notorious Folville brothers. Membership grew as their exploits became widely known, attracting recruits from afar.

Despite repeated attempts by the crown to suppress them, the Coterels' criminal activities escalated, including murder, extortion and kidnap, across the Peak District. They were not particularly unpopular with the populace, receiving supplies, support and commissions from secular and ecclesiastical communities. Their most famous offence occurred in 1332 when they kidnapped royal justice Richard Willoughby, demanding and receiving 1,300 marks (c. £720k) for his freedom. This sent shockwaves through the country and led to King Edward III launching a royal commission to bring the Coterels to justice, but many gang members were acquitted, and the Coterels themselves went into hiding. The outbreak of the Second War of Scottish Independence provided the king with an opportunity to recruit seasoned men to his army. Ever the opportunists, the Coterels saw military service as their method of being restored to the law. They would go on to fight in some of the most famous battles of the 14th century, both at home and overseas, in order to obtain their pardons.

Modern scholars agree that the activities and members of 14th-century groups like the Coterels provided the basis for many of the stories later woven around Robin Hood. The Coterels, working in the shadows, remain something of an enigma, yet their story continues to captivate the public's interest.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Foreword
• Chapter 1: That Old and Forgotten Derbyshire Family
• Chapter 2: The Plight of Prominence in the Peak
• Chapter 3: A New Century Begins: Early Life in the Peak District
• Chapter 4: The Darley Debacle
• Chapter 5: Dearth, Disease and Desolation
• Chapter 6: Boroughbridge and a Pitiful Plundering
• Chapter 7: The King’s Capitulation and a Loyal Supporter, a Thief and Extorter
• Chapter 8: The Rebellion at Bakewell
• Chapter 9: A Band of Brothers
• Chapter 10: For Fear of Death
• Chapter 11: A Grant of Pardon
• Chapter 12: A Brawl at Bradley
• Chapter 13: A Fellowship of Felons
• Chapter 14: The Demise of the Darley Duo
• Chapter 15: The Predator, the Prey, and the Proclamation
• Chapter 16: The Style of the King
• Chapter 17: The Ransom of Willoughby in the Woods
• Chapter 18: Trial by Trailbaston
• Chapter 19: Find Us Keepers
• Chapter 20: The Brutality of the Bench?
• Chapter 21: Havoc on the Hill and the Pardoned Pretenders
• Chapter 22: A Claim for a Crown and a Bitter Burden
• Chapter 23: The Woeful Willoughby
• Chapter 24: The Clash at the Cross and the Comeback King
• Chapter 25: Pestilence in the Peak and the Resolute Wrongdoer
• Epilogue
• End Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• Plates