The Gallows Pole true story is one you might not have heard of - the new BBC historical drama is about to change that, and prepare to be shocked.
The Gallows Pole lands on BBC Two on Wednesday, May 31st. Based on the book of the same name by Benjamin Myers, the novel is an embellished version of the real-life story of the Cragg Vale Coiners. Director Shane Meadows (This Is England) has taken the contents of the book and brought the remarkable story of the rise of David Hartley (Michael Socha) and his crew to life on screen - but with a few extra twists. The series acts as a prequel looking at why the men who went on to be known as the Cragg Vale Coiners did what they did. But who were the Cragg Vale Coiners, and what did Hartley and his assembled gang of weavers and land-workers do to capsize the economy and become the "biggest fraud in British history"? Read on to find out.
