Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
For Centuries, Witches, Suicides and Criminals Were Buried On Crossroads, In this video we explore two Real Locations in Essex, England, Near London where women are buried on lonely rural crossroads.
Where are witches buried?
REAL Crossroad Burials Near London
Crossroads have been used for burials here in England since Anglo-Saxon times, it was often where suicide victims, those executed and witches too were all buried. Often with a stake through their heart and no religious ceremony, even the dead’s property could also be confiscating.
Historians and archaeologists have long speculated on the reasons for crossroads burials. Perhaps it was the nearest resting place the deceased would get to any sort of religious symbol. It may also have been because execution grounds were commonly at crossroads.
Superstition may also have come into it: a crossroads might confuse the ghost of the deceased.
Crossroads burials ended with the increasing understanding of mental illness and depression, particularly after the suicide of Lord Castlereagh in 1822. Many Londoners were also shocked in 1823 at the crossroads burial of Abel Griffiths – a disturbed young man who had killed his father – He was buried at the junction of Eaton Street, Grosvenor Place and King’s Road.
Crossroads burials were abolished by an act of parliament the same year. Few objected, although one argument against abolition was that the disgrace of crossroads burial was a ‘deterrent’ to suicide.
Now as already mentioned, these two crossroads we are visiting today are the locations of where four witches were buried, the first holds the body of one witch and final has three witches buried there.
At the western end of Drake’s Lane, where it meets Leighs Road tHere is a small triangle of grass at the junction, which overtime has been heavily worn away by traffic, This spot is unnamed on old maps, but it lies within the parish of Little Waltham and about three miles from Great Leighs.
A couple of hundred years ago in the Essex village of Great Leighs, a witch named Anne Hughes of Scrapfaggots Green was reportedly burned at the stake for the crime of bewitching her husband to death. Denied a Christian burial, her charred remains were said to be buried on the crossroads between Little Waltham, Great Leighs and Boreham.
However, the parish records of great Leighs tell a very different story - In December 1669, Anne Hues. Widow. Was buried. She was also acquitted of her crime of witchcraft.
Anne is therefore ruled out as the witch behind the disturbances, there is however another potential candidate. Elizabeth Brooke of Great Leighs was accused of witchcraft several decades previous, brought before the Chelmsford Assizes on 2 March, 1584. Her crimes had taken place in 1587, and in that year she was said to have been guilty of murdering Margaret Cleveland, wife of John Cleveland, by witchcraft. Elizabeth was also indicted for bewitching 6 cows and 6 horses belonging to James Holmested, a cow, 5 heifers and 4 hogs that were worth £10 belonging to James Spylman, 2 cows and 2 mares worth £5 of Thomas Cornshe, and some sows of George Fytche’s that were worth 40 shillings. All of the above animals died.
Not as fortunate as Anne Hughes, Elizabeth Brooke, who confessed to the second of the charges against her, was found guilty under the 1563 Witchcraft Act (which stated categorically that murder by witchcraft was a capital offence) and was condemned to die by the noose.
#crossroads #witches #burial #london #essex #witchcraft
***
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Yhana and I will mention your support in one of our upcoming videos.
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For Centuries, Witches, Suicides and Criminals Were Buried On Crossroads, In this video we explore two Real Locations in Essex, England, Near London where women are buried on lonely rural crossroads.
Where are witches buried?
REAL Crossroad Burials Near London
Crossroads have been used for burials here in England since Anglo-Saxon times, it was often where suicide victims, those executed and witches too were all buried. Often with a stake through their heart and no religious ceremony, even the dead’s property could also be confiscating.
Historians and archaeologists have long speculated on the reasons for crossroads burials. Perhaps it was the nearest resting place the deceased would get to any sort of religious symbol. It may also have been because execution grounds were commonly at crossroads.
Superstition may also have come into it: a crossroads might confuse the ghost of the deceased.
Crossroads burials ended with the increasing understanding of mental illness and depression, particularly after the suicide of Lord Castlereagh in 1822. Many Londoners were also shocked in 1823 at the crossroads burial of Abel Griffiths – a disturbed young man who had killed his father – He was buried at the junction of Eaton Street, Grosvenor Place and King’s Road.
Crossroads burials were abolished by an act of parliament the same year. Few objected, although one argument against abolition was that the disgrace of crossroads burial was a ‘deterrent’ to suicide.
Now as already mentioned, these two crossroads we are visiting today are the locations of where four witches were buried, the first holds the body of one witch and final has three witches buried there.
At the western end of Drake’s Lane, where it meets Leighs Road tHere is a small triangle of grass at the junction, which overtime has been heavily worn away by traffic, This spot is unnamed on old maps, but it lies within the parish of Little Waltham and about three miles from Great Leighs.
A couple of hundred years ago in the Essex village of Great Leighs, a witch named Anne Hughes of Scrapfaggots Green was reportedly burned at the stake for the crime of bewitching her husband to death. Denied a Christian burial, her charred remains were said to be buried on the crossroads between Little Waltham, Great Leighs and Boreham.
However, the parish records of great Leighs tell a very different story - In December 1669, Anne Hues. Widow. Was buried. She was also acquitted of her crime of witchcraft.
Anne is therefore ruled out as the witch behind the disturbances, there is however another potential candidate. Elizabeth Brooke of Great Leighs was accused of witchcraft several decades previous, brought before the Chelmsford Assizes on 2 March, 1584. Her crimes had taken place in 1587, and in that year she was said to have been guilty of murdering Margaret Cleveland, wife of John Cleveland, by witchcraft. Elizabeth was also indicted for bewitching 6 cows and 6 horses belonging to James Holmested, a cow, 5 heifers and 4 hogs that were worth £10 belonging to James Spylman, 2 cows and 2 mares worth £5 of Thomas Cornshe, and some sows of George Fytche’s that were worth 40 shillings. All of the above animals died.
Not as fortunate as Anne Hughes, Elizabeth Brooke, who confessed to the second of the charges against her, was found guilty under the 1563 Witchcraft Act (which stated categorically that murder by witchcraft was a capital offence) and was condemned to die by the noose.
#crossroads #witches #burial #london #essex #witchcraft
***
If you enjoy our content why not support our creative process on Patreon, buy us a coffee or use the special thanks button beneath this video.
Yhana and I will mention your support in one of our upcoming videos.
*** 👉 buymeacoffee.com/stephenandyhana
*** 👉 patreon.com/stephenandyhana ***
