Hidden East Anglia:

Landscape Legends of Norfolk & Suffolk

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They may not be 'landscape legends', but just to show that tales of suicides and others being buried at crossroads or by the roadside are not simply folklore, we have the following historical reports from the region:

Ballingdon, Suffolk: The 'Ipswich Journal' of October 4th 1783 records that "a man named Hurwood, millwright of Ballingdon, took arsenic in a fit of discontent. At the inquest the Jury returned a verdict of 'self-murder', and on Sunday morning early he was buried in the crossway, with a stake driven through his body, near the pound on Ballingdon Hill".

Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk: Again from the 'Ipswich Journal', but from July 31st 1779: "William Snell and John Carter for sodomitical practices to stand on the pillory at Bury - On Wednesday William Snell and John Carter stood on the pillory at Bury previous to which Snell took several doses of arsenic which he said he had kept for several years, it had no effect on him till he was being carried back to the gaol when it began to operate and he expired about 7 in the evening. The coroner’s verdict was self murder in consequence of which he was to be buried in the King’s highway and a stake driven through his body, Snell was severely pelted by the populace but Carter came through unhurt nothing being thrown at him the fury of the people having subsided".

Norwich, Norfolk: "My father, who was a freeman of the City of Norwich, by apprenticeship, remembered, when living in St. Laurences', seeing a suicide carried past his house at twelve at night, to be buried at the crossroads at Hangman's Lane. An immense crowd followed, to see the stake driven through the body".

Source: 'Norfolk & Norwich Notes & Queries', August 15th, 1896.

Palgrave, Suffolk: An entry in the parish registers of Palgrave for December 30th 1587 reads: "Johannes Bungey sepultus in via", which translates as "John Bungey buried in the road".

Rattlesden, Suffolk: In about 1815, "it is said that a boy named Otterwell, aged from 14 to 15, hung himself, having been caught stealing beans. His body was dragged upon a slide to the place where the sign post is at the Water Run and there buried".

Source: Rev. J. R. Olorenshaw, 'Notes on the History of the Church & Parish of Rattlesden' (private, 1900).

Also, although no stories seem to survive, the names of some crossroads seem to indicate a burial of one kind or another:

Barsham, Suffolk: Graffer's Grave (TM399895), also called Close Corner, is where Hall Road meets the B1062, the road from Beccles to Bungay.

Drayton, Norfolk: Bugg's Grave (TG190145) is a crossways on the border between Drayton and Horsford.

Harpley, Norfolk: Cross's Grave (TF803253), a crossroads where the Harpley/West Rudham boundary turns.

Laxfield, Suffolk: Deadmansgrave Lane is a track forming part of the boundary between Laxfield and Fressingfield, and meets the B1116 road at TM278744.

Mendham, Suffolk: A threeways called Hulk's Grave (TM263804), through which the Mendham/Weybread boundary runs.

Paston, Norfolk: A crossroads called Deadman's Grave (TG305325) in the parish of Paston, just north-east of North Walsham.

Spexhall, Suffolk: Deadman's Grave (TM396809) is where two country roads cross a little north of Halesworth, and form the parish boundaries of Spexhall and Westhall.

Walberswick, Suffolk: A meeting of tracks on the heathland west of Walberswick is called Hangman's Cross (TM467747), and nearby is a wood known as Deadman's Covert.