Until the passing of the Suicide Act 1961, Suicide was still a criminal offence in England and until 1882 suicides had to be buried on unconsecrated ground. In the seventeenth and eighteen century, those declared to have commited felo de se (the archaic term for suicide) were given a shameful burial, usually under cover of darkness with a stake driven through the body, and forfeited their estate to The Crown.
This map shows the locations of documented cases as and when found
Why were suicides buried at Crossroads?
Henry Murton, aged 14 years
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried at six o'clock in the morning at the four crossways near Faversham
Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal March 7, 1809
Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal March 7, 1809
Richard Brooker, Corporal of the 84th regiment of Foot
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Interred in the highway leading to Brigg
Stamford Mercury January 20, 1809
Stamford Mercury January 20, 1809
Young Woman Servant, of Top Bank
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the highway at New Cross
Lancaster Gazette October 1, 1808
Lancaster Gazette October 1, 1808
Kesiah Workman of Slimbridge
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried near the cross-road in Slimbridge Field
Hereford Journal August 31, 1808
Hereford Journal August 31, 1808
John Thomas
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the cross-roads in the usual way
Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal June 28, 1808
Kentish Weekly Post or Canterbury Journal June 28, 1808
Thomas Spicer of Westerleigh
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried inthe public highway
Oxford University and City Herald - Saturday 11 June 1808! June 11, 1808
Oxford University and City Herald - Saturday 11 June 1808! June 11, 1808
Servant of Mr Welch of Welton
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the highway and had a stake driven through his body
Stamford Mercury December 4, 1807
Stamford Mercury December 4, 1807
Thomas Etches, baker of Newark
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Immediately buried in the crossroads
Stamford Mercury October 22, 1807
Stamford Mercury October 22, 1807
James Robinson, Private of His Majesty’s 14th regiment of Foot
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: In a crossroads or public highway
Oxford University and City Herald September 26, 1807
Oxford University and City Herald September 26, 1807
John Patterson, rapist of Terrington
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: In the crossroads near Markham Moor
Bury and Norwich Post June 10, 1807
Bury and Norwich Post June 10, 1807
William Warner, aged 14 of Houghton
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the public highway
Northampton Mercury May 10, 1806
Northampton Mercury May 10, 1806
Young Man, drowned in the Soar, Leicester
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the public highway
Northampton Mercury June 1, 1805
Northampton Mercury June 1, 1805
Vertue Parsons of Winchester
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the public highway
Hampshire Chronicle November 15, 1802
Hampshire Chronicle November 15, 1802
Tabitha Glasberry of Christchurch
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: On the order of a coroner, buried in a public road
Salisbury and Winchester Journal March 9, 1801
Salisbury and Winchester Journal March 9, 1801
Theophilus Smith of Stafford
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: The public crossroads, Stafford
Bury and Norwich Post January 14, 1801
Bury and Norwich Post January 14, 1801
John Hanning of Newhaven
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Buried in the Crossroads near St John's Church, but the stake formerly used on such occasions was dispensed with
Hampshire Chronicle October 8, 1798
Hampshire Chronicle October 8, 1798
James Anderson of Southwark
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: In the highway near the gates of Christchurch-yard
Kentish Gazette January 11, 1791
Kentish Gazette January 11, 1791
Jacob Sallis of Littleport
Posted: March 24, 2017
Location: Public Highroad between Littleport & Ely
The Oxford Journal August 23, 1806
The Oxford Journal August 23, 1806