SAWNEY BEAN (Mass murderer)
A true event from Scotland’s past
This is the story of Sawney Bean
A man who lived by the sea
With his wife and children they shared a cave
Back in the sixteenth century
Forteen children shared this dismal dwelling
Twenty two more would follow as well
Cause’ they all had incestruous relationships
That would add to this family from hell
Now the life this clan lived was very hard
Because food it was in short supply
So he robbed any passing travellers
Then he killed them, and I’ll tell you why
You see the Bean family, they were cannibals
Human flesh was their cravings and perversions
For many years they hid in their cave
Where they butchered more than one thousand persons
But those missing travellers had kinsfolk
And soon search parties would come on the scene
Where the cave and Bean clan where discovered
It was the end for the evil Sawney Bean
So it was hung drawn and quartered for Sawney
And his wife shared a similar end
The men were cut up, the woman burned alive
A stout message the townsfolk would send
But lets travel back to four hundred years
And be careful before you condemn
Because how would you act if you lived in that cave
Do you think you could turn out like them?
Gerald J Tate
Swaney Bean is a very famous character in history. He and his incestuous family killed and cannibalized hundreds of men, women and children in Scotland in the dark middle ages.
Although little is known about this fiend it is said that he hailed from east Lothian and was a tanner by trade. The second half of his life is better known. He moved to Ayrshire in the mid-13th century and was wed.
Swaney and his wife moved into a huge damp cave sea. It was called Benane and it had many, many miles of cold hard rock tunnels that crisscrossed the land deep beneath the local’s feet. Also, twice a day at high tide the mouth of the cave would flood making the cavern a fabulous hideout from unwanted attention. The best part of the cave was the many side caverns and tunnels. It was the perfect place to raise a grimy incestuous family, a family of brothers impregnating sisters and Uncles impregnating their Nieces.
It was a true Sodom on the coast of Scotland and the depravity lasted over 20 years. You see old Swaney had to make some money to support his growing family so he fell to robbing the travelers that used a nearby trail to get too and from a town that was close by. Swaney’s family not only loved to prey on unsuspecting travelers, but, they also loved their tender meat. Yes, the family was also cannibals. The Swaney clan lived for many years in their dreary domicile eating their fill of long pig and filling their coffers with ill-gotten goods. Until, in their sloth they got a little too greedy and a lot too careless.
They attacked a young couple and their small child in a stroller. The problem was that this young man was a skilled fighter and was able to defend himself and loved ones until another group of hikers stumbled upon the scene. Startled and scared the ghoulish group of goons ran to the safety of the cave that they called home. There was a hue and a cry for justice to be done. A search party was organized that very day. But, try as they might they could not find the family. The reason they could not be found is the fact the cave entrance was flooded twice a day from the tide and so it was overlooked. However, the townspeople were not satisfied with this horrific situation and demanded justice from King James I.
The King himself headed out with his posse to take this serial killer to the ground and destroy him and his creepy family. This time the family cave was found and the King and his men were repulsed beyond belief. For stacked around the gloomy caves were piles of human cordwood and grisly body parts were strewn everywhere. Even the hardest soldiers were very sick to their stomachs at this sight. After, a short brutal fight the family was subdued and taken to Edinburgh to stand in front of the King himself to be judged. Their crimes were judged to be so heinous that normal justice was not enough so the men of the family were cut into pieces and then the women were burned like witches.
Sources:
-Swaney Bean, Gerald J. Tate
– http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Sawney-Bean-Scotlands-most-famous-cannibal/
FRANK M. STATLER
Categorised in: Serial Killers
This post was written by frank statler