Ancient burial ( weird topic, I know )

[Hanford]

From a very interesting book I am reading - at one time suicides would have a stake driven through the heart before burial, and would buried at a crossroads.

Ceeoh

Ohhh very interesting indeed, so maybe a triple suicide? 

[stanmapstone]

The ghosts of suicides, and criminals, were regarded as dangerous and as well as a stake driven through the body, a stone was also placed over the face. The stake and stone were intended to prevent the restless ghost from wandering and troubling the neighbourhood. Cross Roads are universally believed to be the common resort of evil spirits, not only haunted by the ghosts of people buried there, but also as ghosts would be often passing along the roads from other places of burial to their former homes, they would be more numerous at cross-roads. Also it was believed throughout Europe that witches and warlocks gathered at crossroads, or upon mountain tops, to conduct their Sabbaths.

Stan

[Hanford]

The ghosts of suicides, and criminals, were regarded as dangerous and as well as a stake driven through the body, a stone was also placed over the face. The stake and stone were intended to prevent the restless ghost from wandering and troubling the neighbourhood. Cross Roads are universally believed to be the common resort of evil spirits, not only haunted by the ghosts of people buried there, but also as ghosts would be often passing along the roads from other places of burial to their former homes, they would be more numerous at cross-roads. Also it was believed throughout Europe that witches and warlocks gathered at crossroads, or upon mountain tops, to conduct their Sabbaths.

Stan

That is SO cool 

Surely they should have placed the slab of stone across the whole body or they'd just have headless bodies wandering about? 

[chinakay]

Found this...

"When the ground for the foundations of the houses south-east
of the Churchyard and near the Harp Inn was dug out in 1867,
nearly the whole bulk of earth was found to be composed of
human remains; many of the uncoffined skeletons were quite
perfect. No doubt this ground in early times was connected
with the Churchyard, and may have been used for the interment
of the poor in the time of the plague. It also shows that it
was open to the highway fronting the Market-place, and may
have been the main entrance to the Abbey Mansions occupied
by Lord Edward Denny and the Earl of Carlisle. Three of
the human skeletons there discovered were lying with their heads
north-west, in an angular position, with a square pointed stake
through each head. And seven feet below the surface on the
same spot was found a dagger blade seven inches long and slightly
curved. Probably the persons thus buried were murderers, who
were buried with their murderous weapon in a transverse manner
in a place where three or four roads met"

From this website:
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofancient00wintiala/historyofancient00wintiala_djvu.txt

[Hanford]

Found this...

"When the ground for the foundations of the houses south-east
of the Churchyard and near the Harp Inn was dug out in 1867,
nearly the whole bulk of earth was found to be composed of
human remains; many of the uncoffined skeletons were quite
perfect. No doubt this ground in early times was connected
with the Churchyard, and may have been used for the interment
of the poor in the time of the plague. It also shows that it
was open to the highway fronting the Market-place, and may
have been the main entrance to the Abbey Mansions occupied
by Lord Edward Denny and the Earl of Carlisle. Three of
the human skeletons there discovered were lying with their heads
north-west, in an angular position, with a square pointed stake
through each head. And seven feet below the surface on the
same spot was found a dagger blade seven inches long and slightly
curved. Probably the persons thus buried were murderers, who
were buried with their murderous weapon in a transverse manner
in a place where three or four roads met"

From this website:
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofancient00wintiala/historyofancient00wintiala_djvu.txt

This is so interesting ,thank you for finding this out 
So they were murderers and not vampires  ... Still very intriguing though 

[stanmapstone]

Suicide was regarded as self-murder, "felo de se", so suicides were treated the same as murderers, who were also buried at cross-roads.

Stan

[chinakay]

Well, thinking about it I seem to remember suicide as well as murder  was against the law in places. Makes sense, Stan

What would they do to you if they caught you, though?

[Billyblue]

Well, thinking about it I seem to remember suicide as well as murder was against the law in places. Makes sense, Stan

What would they do to you if they caught you, though?

Come to the funeral?        

Suicide still is against the law I think.  Especially 'assisted suicide'.   Don't know how they would charge the person who suicides though?  Thought that would be left to a higher court.

Dawn M

[stanmapstone]

Suicide still is against the law I think.  Especially 'assisted suicide'.   Don't know how they would charge the person who suicides though?  Thought that would be left to a higher court.

Dawn M

Suicide Act 1961;
The rule of law whereby it is a crime for a person to commit suicide is hereby abrogated.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/9-10/60
Historically the goods of people found guilty of the 'crime' of suicide were forfeit to the crown. Just to add that this forfeiture of property for the felony of suicide was seldom applied for many years before its repeal, but it was the letter of the law up to 1870.
Stan