Plaque

Cross Bones Graveyard

Inscription

Cross Bones Graveyard
In medieval times this was an unconsecrated graveyard for prostitutes or 'Winchester Geese'. By the 18th century it had become a paupers' burial ground, which closed in 1853. Here, local people have created a memorial shrine.
The Outcast Dead - RIP

Site: Cross Bones Graveyard (1 memorial)

SE1, Redcross Way

This graveyard has a website all its own and the colourful crowd-sourced memorials attached to the railings are a splendid commemoration of the sad lives of the women who worked in the medieval sex trade. It's also good that the site has been saved from development.

The Museum of London carried out an archaeological study in 1992 and reports: "The Cross Bones burial ground served the poor of the parish of St. Saviour’s, Southwark, but the ground is thought to have originally been established at least as early as the 17th century, as a single women’s (prostitutes’) cemetery. By 1769, it had become a paupers cemetery and remained so until its closure in 1853."

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Cross Bones Graveyard

Subjects commemorated i

Winchester geese

In medieval London the Bishop of Winchester (e.g. William of Wykeham) had a P...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Lionism in the British Isles

Lionism in the British Isles

W1, Park Lane

The wall this plaque is on possibly belongs to the Inter-Continental Hotel but there was another building here in 1950; probably a hotel ...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Italo Svevo

Italo Svevo

SE7, Charlton Church Road, 67

Ettore Schmitz alias Italo Svevo, 1861-1928, writer, lived here 1903-1913. English Heritage

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
PP - 4C - Emery

PP - 4C - Emery

EC1, Edward Street

This garden acquired its name due to its popularity as a lunchtime garden with workers from the nearby General Post Office (long gone). ...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Millais, Hoppe & Bacon

Millais, Hoppe & Bacon

SW7, Cromwell Place, 7, Millais House

National Art Collections Fund John Everett Millais, 1829 - 1896, Emil Otto Hoppe, 1878 - 1972, Francis Bacon, 1909 - 1992, and other ...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Bond Street

Bond Street

W1, New Bond Street

The "Lord Mayor of the City of Westminster" was present but no name is given.  In Westminster the Mayors change over in May, the month of...

2 subjects commemorated, 4 creators