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3. Corpse Road
In late medieval times, a steady population increase caused an expansion in the construction of churches in Great Britain. This upset the mother churches of the area, who felt that the new organizations were encroaching on their territory and taking away profits and power. For this reason, they instituted a law indicating that all burial rights were the property of the mother church. Officials had corpse roads constructed, which connected outlying locations and their main churches. This was a great hardship on the people and it meant that citizens living on the outskirts of town had to transport their dead family members a long distance in order to be buried. Sometimes the corpse roads traveled up steep mountain cliffs and over large bodies of water and rivers. Many of the pathways contained specifically placed coffin stones, which were used as a resting spot for the travelers. Evidence of the stones is still evident today and a number of the locations are said to hold a dark spirit. In many cases, humble men, women, and old citizens were given this impossible task of transporting their loved ones. This burning animosity and the continual shuffling of human corpses is said to have left a lasting impression on the hundreds of corpse roads in Europe and South America.

Do Not Enter
Many of the corpse roads have disappeared over the years, but you can still see the remains of some prominent routes, which appear in the form of small woven pathways. For generations, people have reported strange noises and lights on these ancient corpse roads. Legend tells that spirits and ghosts regularly fly along the roads in a direct straight line from one end to the next. This energy guides the people along the trail at night. It directs them around all fences, walls, buildings, and other structures. The Will-o’-the-wisp are said to patrol the corpse roads. Folklore is full of tales describing the Will-o’-the-wisp, which are ghostly lights that resemble a flickering lamp. These mischievous spirits attempt to confuse travelers. They are said to recede and fade away if approached. Ancient people believed that these paths were haunted. They followed a list of specific rules to prevent the dead from wandering the land as lost souls or animated corpses.
The number of reportedly haunted corpse roads is extensive. Phantom lights are regularly witnessed on the Scottish cemetery-island of Mun in Loch Leven. Traditionally, these lights were thought to be omens of impending death. Many eyes have reported a regular phantom funeral procession heading across Dartmoor on its way to Widecombe and the burial ground. People have also witnessed a monk dressed in all white. Places where corpse roads intersect are considered dangerous and are believed to be occupied by special spirit-guardians. A famous corpse road in England runs from Rydal to Ambleside in the Lake District. Along this route, at the foot of Blue Bell Hill, is an old coffin stone. It is a rectangular stone that measures 14.4 feet (4.4 m) long and 9 feet (2.8 m) wide. In 1836, a sack of bones was discovered under the rock and it has since been revealed that the area is one of the Medway tombs. The Corpse Rock is located on private grounds, with local residents staying far away from the area in the mist of night. However, the field is currently being planted as a vineyard, which has caused a buzz in the area, as it may be disturbing sacred ground and releasing the wrath of ancient ghosts.