Back in the 18th century it was the site of a gallows. However, the man who was impaled and buried at the crossroads wasn't executed. John Duke had murdered his wife and then killed himself. It was actually not that uncommon for suicides to be treated in this way, although the practice was banned in the 19th century.
Does John Duke's staked skeleton still lie where he was buried? Probably not, as so much of the ground has been excavated for the construction. Centre Point is also on top of Tottenham Court Road Underground Station. Or, of course, construction work might have dislodged the stake rattling in his skeletal ribs, negating the precautions taken against the dead walking.
If I lived in Centre Point, I think I might be employing some other protections against ghosts, ghouls and even vampires at the time of year when the veil is thin and supernatural entities might rise from the grave.
Before Samhain - or Halloween - for many years I blogged with photos of London's burial grounds under the title London Necropolis. A Necropolis is a city of the dead. This is another post in the series. You can read more of my London Necropolis posts from previous years in the links below.
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/10/london-necropolis-st-mary-spital.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2019/10/london-necropolis-pagan-anglo-saxon.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/10/london-necropolis-tower-hamlets.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/10/london-necropolis-highgate-cemetery.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/10/london-necropolis-temple-church.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2019/10/london-necropolis-grave-robbing-at-st.html
(The photo shows Centre Point and was taken by me, Lucya Starza, earlier this week.)
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