Burial Customs in England

[Clanad]

Not really a question, but a site I subscribe to here in the U.S. recently had this article, which I found quite informative:
Understanding England's Strange Burial Customs
By John. R. Chapman (http://www.jaydax.co.uk/genlinks/)

Over the years I've come across some strange burial register entries in
England. Here's a selection

"1608. Anne Brasse buryed at midnyght 26 June"
"1618. Wm pillye wif was bur the 7 Nov at nyght butt wher I can not
tell."
"1639. Frances George buried the 11th September at night but by whome
it is unknone."

These entries, taken from the parish register of Stokesley, North
Yorkshire, indicate that the corpse buried was probably a Roman Catholic
and, as such, was not entitled to be buried in the churchyard. The
burial service would have been conducted by the Roman Catholic priest by
stealth at night.

"1573. Tho. Maule fd hunge on a tree by ye wayeside after a druncken
fitte
April 3. Crowners Queste in churche porche April 5. Same nighte at
midd nighte burried at ye nighest crosse roades wi a stake yn him,
manie peopple frome Manesfeilde."

This entry from the parish register of Pleasley, Derbyshire, shows the
treatment given to suicides. They were not allowed to be buried in the
churchyard. An inquest was held on the death in the church porch The use
of the stake (reminiscent of vampires) and crossroads was to prevent the
corpse from being taken over by an evil spirit, since it could not be
buried on hallowed ground.

Contd.

[dot.hawkes]

wow i have read lots of similar stuff over the years, sometimes i wonder where the myths and legemnds came from, as many many people were illiterate, it makes you wonder that but for the genre of oral history we would never know some of the stuff that actually created out traditions.