Hangman's Hill

Hill, Mountain in Gloucestershire Forest of Dean

England

Hangman's Hill

Machinery in the woods Various pieces of equipment litter the woodland at the end of Jubilee Lane.
Machinery in the woods Credit: Jonathan Billinger

Hangman's Hill is a notable geographical feature located in Gloucestershire, England. Situated near the village of Bisley, it is a small hill that has garnered attention due to its intriguing optical illusion. Despite its name, there is no historical evidence to suggest that the hill was ever used for hangings.

The illusion experienced on Hangman's Hill is a gravity hill phenomenon, also known as a magnetic hill. When a car is parked at the bottom of the slope and placed in neutral, it appears to roll uphill against gravity's pull. This peculiar optical illusion has fascinated locals and visitors alike for many years.

The exact cause of this phenomenon is still debated among experts, but it is believed to be an optical illusion caused by the surrounding landscape. The hill's unique topography, combined with the surrounding trees and other visual cues, creates the perception that the car is moving uphill when in reality, it is rolling downhill.

Hangman's Hill has become a popular tourist attraction, drawing curious visitors who want to experience the gravity-defying illusion firsthand. Many people travel to the site to test the phenomenon themselves and capture photos or videos of the unusual occurrence.

Despite its relatively small size, Hangman's Hill has gained recognition beyond the local community due to its intriguing optical illusion. It continues to attract visitors who are captivated by the mystery and wonder of this fascinating natural phenomenon.

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Hangman's Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.835068/-2.4574274 or Grid Reference SO6815. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Machinery in the woods Various pieces of equipment litter the woodland at the end of Jubilee Lane.
Machinery in the woods
Various pieces of equipment litter the woodland at the end of Jubilee Lane.
Barn in Home Farm, Flaxley This barn, possibly a former tithe barn, is now unused, although the field surrounding it is now used for cattle.
Barn in Home Farm, Flaxley
This barn, possibly a former tithe barn, is now unused, although the field surrounding it is now used for cattle.
White Park cattle The White Park cattle of Home Farm, Flaxley, with a possible former tithe barn in the background.
White Park cattle
The White Park cattle of Home Farm, Flaxley, with a possible former tithe barn in the background.
Yard in Home Farm, Flaxley Yard and barns used for storage.
Yard in Home Farm, Flaxley
Yard and barns used for storage.
Vineyard in Home Farm, Flaxley The most southerly of 3 vineyards owned by Kingsthorne on Home Farm. This vineyard contains Chardonnay only.
Vineyard in Home Farm, Flaxley
The most southerly of 3 vineyards owned by Kingsthorne on Home Farm. This vineyard contains Chardonnay only.
Old Boundary Stone, Littledean "Royal Forest of Dean boundary". In the parish of East Dean, at the slip road leading to Camp Farm, between Littledean and Elton. In a retaining wall. Interestingly, 12.5 metres due South of this stone, in 1877, a hemispherical parcel of land was an exclave of Westbury on Severn, bisecting a farm building.

Inscription: D.F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 202

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLITT202em
Old Boundary Stone, Littledean
"Royal Forest of Dean boundary". In the parish of East Dean, at the slip road leading to Camp Farm, between Littledean and Elton. In a retaining wall. Interestingly, 12.5 metres due South of this stone, in 1877, a hemispherical parcel of land was an exclave of Westbury on Severn, bisecting a farm building. Inscription: D.F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 202 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLITT202em
Boundary Stone, Denton's Corner In the junction of the A4151 Elton Road with the Slad and Greenway. In the parish of Littledean near Littledean Jail.

Inscription: D.F / 2011 / Nᴼ. 204

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLITT204em
Boundary Stone, Denton's Corner
In the junction of the A4151 Elton Road with the Slad and Greenway. In the parish of Littledean near Littledean Jail. Inscription: D.F / 2011 / Nᴼ. 204 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLITT204em
Pike House, George Road, Littledean Former Toll House opposite Greenway. Used by the Forest of Dean Turnpike Trust in the 19th Century. See on the map of GB (UK) Toll houses <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://gbth.mister.red/#13/51.828/-2.47859" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://gbth.mister.red/#13/51.828/-2.47859">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>

Milestone Society National ID: GL.LIT01
Pike House, George Road, Littledean
Former Toll House opposite Greenway. Used by the Forest of Dean Turnpike Trust in the 19th Century. See on the map of GB (UK) Toll houses LinkExternal link Milestone Society National ID: GL.LIT01
Denton's Corner, Littledean A4151 Former Toll House at Denton's Corner where Greenway and the Slad meet the A4151 Gloucester Road. This building served the Elton Turnpike Trust in the 19ᵗʰ Century.

Milestone Society National ID: GL.LIT03
Denton's Corner, Littledean A4151
Former Toll House at Denton's Corner where Greenway and the Slad meet the A4151 Gloucester Road. This building served the Elton Turnpike Trust in the 19ᵗʰ Century. Milestone Society National ID: GL.LIT03
Old Milestone opposite Cherry Tree Farm, Carved stone post by the A4151, in parish of WESTBURY ON SEVERN (FOREST OF DEAN District),
behind railings, on the North side of road. The carved Benchmark  represents 47.3 m ASL.
EC stone, erected by the Forest of Dean turnpike trust in the 19ᵗʰ century.
An earlier image is <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6049831">SO6814 : Old Milestone by the A4151, Cherry Tree Farm, Westbury on Severn parish</a>.

Inscription reads: COLEFORD / 8 / GLOSTER / 11 / LONDON / (??)

Milestone Society National ID: GL_ELCO02
Old Milestone opposite Cherry Tree Farm,
Carved stone post by the A4151, in parish of WESTBURY ON SEVERN (FOREST OF DEAN District), behind railings, on the North side of road. The carved Benchmark represents 47.3 m ASL. EC stone, erected by the Forest of Dean turnpike trust in the 19ᵗʰ century. An earlier image is SO6814 : Old Milestone by the A4151, Cherry Tree Farm, Westbury on Severn parish. Inscription reads: COLEFORD / 8 / GLOSTER / 11 / LONDON / (??) Milestone Society National ID: GL_ELCO02
Old Boundary Stone, Flaxley In a field South of Hangman's Hill and SE of Flaxley church. It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean".

Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 195

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIBL195em
Old Boundary Stone, Flaxley
In a field South of Hangman's Hill and SE of Flaxley church. It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean". Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 195 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIBL195em
Old Boundary Stone, In a field North of the A4151, just beyond the dead end of a Public Right of Way.
It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean", and is on the boundary of East Dean and Littledean (1950 parishes).

Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 203

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLITT203em
Old Boundary Stone,
In a field North of the A4151, just beyond the dead end of a Public Right of Way. It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean", and is on the boundary of East Dean and Littledean (1950 parishes). Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 203 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLITT203em
Boundary Stone, A4151 Elton Opposite New Road, on the verge set back from the highway. The inscription is of 1832 but the typeface is not Victorian.
It may be that a replacement stone was installed after road widening and bend easing (deduced comparing old maps).
It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean", and is on the boundary of East Dean and Westbury on Severn (1950 parishes).

Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 201

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIWS201em
Boundary Stone, A4151 Elton
Opposite New Road, on the verge set back from the highway. The inscription is of 1832 but the typeface is not Victorian. It may be that a replacement stone was installed after road widening and bend easing (deduced comparing old maps). It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean", and is on the boundary of East Dean and Westbury on Severn (1950 parishes). Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 201 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIWS201em
Old Boundary Stone, Blakemore Hale On the SE side of a track belonging to Blakemore's Hale. It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean", and is on the boundary of East Dean and Westbury on Severn (1950 parishes).

Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 200

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIWS200em
Old Boundary Stone, Blakemore Hale
On the SE side of a track belonging to Blakemore's Hale. It marks the boundary of the "Forest of Dean", and is on the boundary of East Dean and Westbury on Severn (1950 parishes). Inscription: D. F / 1832 / Nᴼ. 200 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIWS200em
Elton Farm The side entrance to this private leisure activity centre.
Elton Farm
The side entrance to this private leisure activity centre.
Boundary Stone, Shapridge An original Forest of Dean boundary stone in the garden of a modern house near Abinghall and Mitcheldean.

Inscription: D. F. / 1832 / Nᴼ. 194

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIMI194em
Boundary Stone, Shapridge
An original Forest of Dean boundary stone in the garden of a modern house near Abinghall and Mitcheldean. Inscription: D. F. / 1832 / Nᴼ. 194 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIMI194em
Boundary Stone, Shapridge Slowly descending the slope beside Gloucestershire footpath DMD35, just North of a gate. The slope is subsiding gently East.

Inscription: D. F. / 1832 / Nᴼ. 193

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIMI193em
Boundary Stone, Shapridge
Slowly descending the slope beside Gloucestershire footpath DMD35, just North of a gate. The slope is subsiding gently East. Inscription: D. F. / 1832 / Nᴼ. 193 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIMI193em
Boundary Stone, Shapridge A Forest of Dean boundary stone at the left hand end of a bridge parapet on the NE verge of the road. The coping stones of the parapet are at 91.2 m Above Sea Level.

Inscription: D. F. / 2009 / Nᴼ. 192

Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIMI192em
Boundary Stone, Shapridge
A Forest of Dean boundary stone at the left hand end of a bridge parapet on the NE verge of the road. The coping stones of the parapet are at 91.2 m Above Sea Level. Inscription: D. F. / 2009 / Nᴼ. 192 Milestone Society National ID: GL_DFLIMI192em
Show me another place!

Hangman's Hill is located at Grid Ref: SO6815 (Lat: 51.835068, Lng: -2.4574274)

Administrative County: Gloucestershire

District: Forest of Dean

Police Authority: Gloucestershire

What 3 Words

///moguls.refilled.sprayed. Near Cinderford, Gloucestershire

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Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 51.835068,-2.4574274
Bus Stop
St Mary's Church
Naptan AtcoCode: 1600GL2021
Naptan Bearing: NW
Naptan CommonName: St Mary's Church
Naptan Indicator: Opp
Naptan NaptanCode: gloamdat
Naptan Street: Main Lane
Naptan Verified: no
Source: naptan_import
Lat/Long: 51.8355445/-2.4533848
Bus Stop
St Mary's Church
Naptan AtcoCode: 1600GL2022
Naptan Bearing: SE
Naptan CommonName: St Mary's Church
Naptan NaptanCode: gloamdga
Naptan Street: Main Lane
Naptan Verified: no
Source: naptan_import
Lat/Long: 51.8356168/-2.4532694
Bus Stop
Flaxley Cottage
Naptan AtcoCode: 1600GLF099
Naptan Bearing: NW
Naptan CommonName: Flaxley Cottage
Naptan Indicator: Opp
Naptan NaptanCode: gloamdja
Naptan Street: Main Street
Naptan Verified: no
Source: naptan_import
Lat/Long: 51.8341904/-2.4504
Bus Stop
Flaxley Cottage
Naptan AtcoCode: 1600GLF100
Naptan Bearing: SE
Naptan CommonName: Flaxley Cottage
Naptan NaptanCode: gloamdjm
Naptan Street: Main Lane
Naptan Verified: no
Source: naptan_import
Lat/Long: 51.8344054/-2.4502965
Alms House Farm
Landuse: farm
Note Retag: CS #48756035
Source: OS OpenData StreetView
Lat/Long: 51.8320622/-2.4572296
Hangman's Hill
Place: locality
Source: OS OpenData StreetView
Lat/Long: 51.8318367/-2.4604804
Pear Tree Farm
Landuse: farm
Note Retag: CS #48756035
Source: OS OpenData StreetView
Lat/Long: 51.8328114/-2.4621005
Access: designated
Barrier: stile
Bicycle: no
Foot: designated
Horse: no
Material: metal
Motor Vehicle: no
Stile: squeezer
Lat/Long: 51.8331627/-2.4572832
The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.

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