Celebrating the Forgotten Dead at Cross Bones Graveyard

Behind Borough Market, on the corner of Union Street and Redcross Way, lies an inconspicuous and overlooked garden. Being overlooked in central London is hardly unusual: we march past most things on our way to and from work. This garden is a little different from the rest however. Much like those that lie beneath it, it’s used to being ignored: this is the site of Cross Bones Graveyard, a resting place for outcasts of the city.

An Introduction to The Mint

To appreciate this area of Southwark, I’m afraid you’ll need a downright dismal history lesson. It was once a Catholic convent that was granted exemption from the City of London’s rules – the City couldn’t govern here. When religion-changing Henry VIII came along, the sanctified land was handed out amongst his noblemen. His catholicism-loving daughter Mary then gave the land to the Archbishop of York for a London palace, but expectation and reality parted ways.

Instead of building a mansion, the Archbishop leased the land for housing development. Unsurprisingly, developers favoured quantity of housing over quality: it soon became a slum. The twist of fate was that the sanctuary and exemption from City law remained intact. The slum known as ‘The Mint’ soon became a safe place for the worst London had to offer.

Sex Work and Sanctimony

Fugitives flocked to The Mint. Once inside its boundaries, the law couldn’t touch them. There were a few of these strange sanctuaries around, each with its own clientele. The Mint particularly attracted debtors and prostitutes. Debtors quickly sought shelter from the nearby prison, while the latter had actually been licensed to work there by a medieval Bishop.

Believe it or not, sex workers were regulated by the church for 500 years in this part of London. Despite the church sanction for their activities, these women weren’t allowed Christian burials. Of course, those using and benefitting from these poor women got a free pass to heaven.

It’ll come as no surprise that no one much cared what happened to these law-breaker’s bodies after their death. They chose to live and die in a place outside governance, after all. Those living in The Mint still needed somewhere to bury brethren though – from paupers to prostitutes – which is where Cross Bones comes in.

Burials that Beggar Belief

The cemetery was once known as the Single Women’s Churchyard, for obvious reasons. The graveyard wasn’t solely for prostitutes though. Anyone too poor for a better burial was interred here, one on top of the other. It wasn’t just a place for the dead however – body-snatchers also frequented the cemetery. Despite their efforts, the cemetery filled at an alarming rate. Its small walls became so crammed with bodies that burials had to be stopped.

The area eventually lost its sanctuary status, causing many to move away to seek shelter elsewhere. Now able to get inside, the government focused its attentions on The Mint and began dismantling it: its era of poverty and violence was over. Like a lot of London’s history, The Mint and all its unhappy inhabitants were set to be forgotten – and they were. That is until the Tube came along and, quite literally, dug it all up again.

Modern Day Memorials

In the 1990’s, work on the Jubilee Line unearthed a number of skeletons: 148 to be exact. Research showed that a vast number were syphilitic, malnourished, and underage. Of the incredible 15000 believed to be buried here, 60% are thought to be children.

This sad discovery earned Cross Bones its first friend, and they’ve been growing in number ever since. These Londoners hold a vigil on the 23rd of every month – a remembrance service for the outcast dead. It’s a mixture of mourning, for both those who went unmourned years ago and those lost by the friends themselves.

Anyone is welcome and it’s a beautiful little event to be part of. If you decide to pop along, make sure to bring something commemorative. Ribbons, candles, poems, letters and other mementos are left at the garden gates. There are also bigger Halloween and Christmas events that include dramas, readings and processions. These need booking as they fill the garden to capacity each year.

In our ever-busy, forward-looking capital, it’s means a lot that some take precious time to remember the Londoners lost to this often merciless city.

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