[2] The name 'Bewel' goes back at least as far as the late twelfth century, when it is referred to in a charter of Count John (later King) as one of four points marking the limits of Bristol.

Bewell's Cross itself is first recorded in September 1373, during the perambulation of the boundaries set down to define the newly established county of Bristol.

This includes a section on the road going up from 'the parish church of St Michael, as far as the tall stone appointed as the boundary of the franchise of the town of Bristol, near the cross and the site of the gallows for the legal punishment, by hanging and putting to death, for traitors and thieves'.

On the day of execution they were forced to walk to the gallows through the centre of town and up St Michael's Hill in a form that seemingly reflected Christ's Via Dolorosa.

[10] As with Christ's place of execution, figured by medieval people as Mount Calvary, Bristol's gallows was on top of a hill, on the edge of the town/county.

On the night of 7 March 1643, during the English Civil War, the gallows was the rendezvous for the advance guard of a force directed by Prince Rupert during a plan to capture Bristol by surprise.

[24] These indicate that boundary stone 23 was located in the middle of what is now Cotham Road, about fifteen metres from the junction with St Michael's Hill.

[25] Writing in 1789, the historian, William Barrett, noted that 'Bewell or Bewell's Cross then called is that where the criminals now usually pray before their execution at St. Michael's-hill gallows.

Latimer also observed that most of the condemned were buried in St Michael's churchyard, being recorded in the parish burial register for the church.

[31] On 16 December 1749 the Bristol Weekly Intelligencer reported that: We hear from Westbury on Trim near this City, that for some Time past a great Number of dissolute and disorderly Persons have been entertain'd at about seven or eight unruly Publick Houses, near the Gallows on St Michaels’ Hill; and many dangerous Insults and Robberies have been committed on the Market People,[32] and others travelling thereabout (as suspected) by the Persons harbour’d in those Houses; — But the Gentlemen of that Parish, with a noble Resolution having bravely prosecuted and caused several Penalties to be levied on the Keepers of the Houses, so that they are all routed away, dispers'd, and gone from thence, and the Neighbourhood on that Side of the City quite freed from such unwelcome Neighbours.

Vickery's entry, appears to be based on a letter written by the Bristol newspaper editor and antiquarian, William Tyson.

His letter is nearly identical to Vickery's chronicle, other than that Tyson goes on to say that: 'Thus associated with religious and historical events, I am quite sure, for the regard that has been recently shewn, by the constituted authorities, to the antiquities of our city, that, on their attention being called to the subject, this interesting object will be carefully preserved, and again placed as near as possible to the spot on which it has hitherto stood.

[35] The historian John Latimer noted Vickery's claim but was sceptical about the provenance of the stone because 'Roque's large map of the city, dated 1741, shows the cross to have stood nearly one hundred yards farther to the north-west.