The Winnats Pickaxe Murder

In the 18th century the Peak Forest was Derbyshire’s “Gretna Green”, where any couple might marry immediately, at any time of the day, without any interference from the authorities. In April 1758 one young couple,desperate to marry,despite their families’ objections, came to Derbyshire to fulfill their dream. Unfortunately it turned into their worst nightmare.
The young couple were Alan and Clara, whose last names were never known. Their courtship was fraught was problems. Clara’s family were totally Appleseed to the relationship and so the couple only met at night when Allan would slip out to be at his lovers side, but where on occasion Clara’s brother would catch him and threaten him never to come back.
Eventually the couple decided that enough was enough and Allan plucked up the courage to ask the father for his daughters hand in marriage. The angry father as predicted answered “No!” 
This only left the couple with one option to stay together, to elope. At an arranged day and time they stole away across the border to Derbyshire, making their journey as meandering as possible so not to be tracked down. 
The couple eventually stopped in Stoney Middleton on a public house called “The Royal Oak” . They chose such a place to keep their anonymity. The landlady brought the couple drinks, while they ate their food they had packed in their saddle bags. Whilst eating Clara had admitted she had been troubled by terrible dreams of her love Allan being murdered in front of her, and that she awoke in a cold sweat. Allan reassured her that they must continue their journey, and that she needn’t worry.
By the time they reached the Castleton inn they were hungry and tired, it was the last stop before they could finally reach the peak forest were they were to be married.
Whilst enjoying their rest a group of drunken miners started arguing and shouting and were forcibly removed by the landlord. The miners ,meanwhile, still seething from being ejected, soon started talk of the nervous young couple sat across from them and the obvious air of reasonable wealth they had. Talk soon turned to robbing the young couple. 
Taking a pick axe ,the 5 miners waited in the entrance to Winnatts pass …..