A landmark crossroads on Minchinhampton Common whose origins are the subject of considerable speculation.

At least one written record suggests its name is shared with that of an individual who committed suicide and was buried at the spot [1]. This is not an outlandish suggestion as until 1823 suicides were required by law to be buried under a highway as a symbol of disgrace. Bodies were typically staked to prevent the now cursed spirit of the deceased from leaving the grave. A crossroads burial added an extra layer of security for the living. Should a suicide’s spirit manage to evade the stake, it would become confused by the converging roads (it remains a matter of contention why a spirit would be confused if the deceased had previously been familiar with the location of their burial). [2]

A competing theory suggests Tom Long’s Post is named after a local highwayman of the same name [3]. His precise association with the roadway is unclear. Some people suggest this is where he committed many of his robberies, others that it marks the location where Long was hanged.

Within Stroud’s ghost culture it is the latter possibility which appears to have gathered the most popularity. Folklorist Rupert Matthews recites belief in Long’s ghost solemnly haunting the location, pacing slowly around the well known road sign. [4]

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