By the time of the attack on the Newbridge gates local excitement was high, and around Rhayader many were refusing to pay the tolls. The authorities were nervous and soldiers had been called in.
An old record of the time tells us what happened on the night of November 2nd 1843.

Sergeant Shaw of the London police was in charge of a group of local men who had been taken on as Special Constables.
In the middle of the night they heard that the North gate (Pen-y-pistyll) was under attack again. They rushed over to find the gatekeeper terrified and the gates flattened, but no sign of Rebecca.
The gatekeeper had been awoken by the noise and a voice calling through the window "lie still or death will be your doom". He wisely stayed indoors while the gates were wrecked.

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