The Meon Hill murder refers to the brutal and still-unsolved killing of 74-year-old farm labourer Charles Walton on February 14, 1945, on Meon Hill in Lower Quinton, Warwickshire.

Walton’s body was discovered by his niece, Edith, with his throat deeply slashed by his own slash hook and his body pinned to the ground by a pitchfork.
Adding to the gruesome nature of the crime, there were reports of a cross carved into his chest, though later reports from the post-mortem contradicted this detail, describing “several cuts in a random, haphazard pattern.”

The murder gained significant notoriety due to its ritualistic nature and the widespread belief, particularly among locals, that it was linked to witchcraft or a pagan sacrifice.
Rumours circulated that Walton himself was a witch, capable of casting the “evil eye” and using natterjack toads for blight, which some believed led to his death as a blood sacrifice to replenish the soil’s fertility. The case even involved Scotland Yard, with famed detective Robert Fabian investigating, but despite extensive inquiries, no one was ever charged.

The enduring mystery, coupled with the dark folklore and local superstitions surrounding Meon Hill, has cemented the Meon Hill murder as one of Warwickshire’s most infamous and baffling unsolved crimes, often cited as an inspiration for folk horror narratives.