It was even claimed that a Radnorshire judge had been the first to make the comparison. However Presteigne’s Gallows Lane has long been named as a reminder to all of those who were condemned to death in Presteigne, particularly in the 18th century. Presteigne was the capital town of Radnorshire for centuries before the first recorded execution in 1739. In September the Radnorshire Court of Great Sessions condemned two men to be hanged for the murder of William Price in Gladestry on April 23. Gallows Lane earned its reputation in the years which followed. In 1743 Thomas Williams was hanged for stealing sheep and a year later Isaac Thomas faced the same fate for passing a forged coin.