West Rock in New Haven in New Haven County, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)

Judges Cave

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 18, 2010

1. Judges Cave Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Judges Cave Here May Fifteenth 1661 and for some weeks thereafter Edward Whalley and his son-in-law William Goffe, members of the Parliament General, officers in the army of the Commonwealth and signers of the death warrant of King Charles First, found shelter and concealment from the officers of the Crown after the Restoration.
"Opposition to tyrants is obedience to God"
1896

Erected 1896.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Wars, Non-US. A significant historical year for this entry is 1661.

Location. 41° 20.312′ N, 72° 57.98′ W. Marker is in New Haven, Connecticut, in New Haven County. It is in West Rock. Marker can be reached from Wintergreen Avenue, 0.2 miles north of Brookside Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Located in West Rock Ridge State Park. 0.8 miles from the park entrance. Bear right at the fork at 0.6 miles. In summer months you can drive right up to it. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: New Haven CT 06515, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker,

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measured as the crow flies. Westville Soldiers' Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); Holocaust Memorial Place (approx. 1.2 miles away); Robert Gardner Anderson Award (approx. 2 miles away); George Trevor (approx. 2 miles away); Walter Camp Memorial (approx. 2 miles away); Corporal Timothy Francis Ahearn (approx. 2.1 miles away); Cornelius S. Bushnell Memorial (approx. 2.1 miles away); Edward Robinson Smith (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Haven.

More about this marker. The date on the marker is 1896, which is probably when the site was first marked. The current marker is obviously more recent.

Regarding Judges Cave. Judges' Cave is named for two of the judges that signed the death warrant for King Charles I. When Charles II became king, following the death of Oliver Cromwell, the regicides had to flee England. Two of the seventy-six judges that sentenced Charles the First to death spent time in New Haven, Connecticut, Edward Whalley and William Goffe. They were hidden by townsfolk and small boys brought them food. The cave lies on top of West Rock in New Haven, along the Regicides Trail.

Also see . . . West Rock Ridge State Park on Wikipedia. (Submitted on August 22, 2010, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 18, 2010

2. Judges Cave

It must have been an actual cave giving shelter in 1661, but today it is just a group of large boulders.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 18, 2010

3. Judges Cave

Entrance to West Rock Ridge State Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 18, 2010

4. Entrance to West Rock Ridge State Park

The Judges Cave, New Haven image. Click for full size.

Internet Archive

5. The Judges Cave, New Haven

From Historical, Poetical and Pictorial American Scenes, by John Warner Barber and Elizabeth G. Barber 1851.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2010, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 3,578 times since then and 507 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 22, 2010, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. 5. submitted on May 26, 2019, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.