Today I was in London taking down the Printing Edge Part II exhibition. The gallery is on Union Street nr. London Bridge, and just down the road on Redcross Way. Walking down the road your eye is caught by ribbons flickering in the wind and as you get closer you see that those ribbons are tied to a rusty wrought iron gate.
It really has an eire feel about it even before you realise what it is. There are loads of ribbons tied to the gates with peoples names and dates on them along with beaded necklaces, dried flowers, bells, soft toys...all sorts of things. It appears to be a memorial and after reading signs on the gate you realise it is a burial site.
We had stumbled across the site of The Cross Bones Graveyard. It was a burial site dating back to Medieval times for the prostitutes working in licensed brothels in The Borough. For some 500 years, the Bishop of Winchester exercised sole authority within Bankside's 'Liberty of The Clink', including the right to licence prostitutes under a Royal Ordinance dating back to 1161. These women became known as 'Winchester Geese'. Although these women were licensed by the church they were not granted proper burial.
The site was later opened to paupers in the 18th century and it was closed as a grave yard in 1853 when it was too full up. This site has such an amazing history and I found myself drawn to it's history. Have a read here to learn more...and if you don't like to read much watch this video.
There is something about burial sites that interest me but I don't know if it is the spiritual thing or the mystery of death and the what happens to your spirit afterwards. There are vigils held every month by the gates on the 23rd of every month...not sure if I would want to go but at the same time I am curious to what people do at these things and the atmosphere it creates. Places like The Cross Bones Graveyard have a certain atmosphere about them for me. Is it spirits? Is it ghosts? or is it just fact that people are buried on the site?
Food for thought. Check out the links. It is quite interesting...i think so anyway!
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