Other

(lost) Hardy's tree

Inscription

none

Not strictly a memorial but irresistible to include.

As railway lines were constructed through densely built-up parts of London, they often crossed old churchyards. The son-of-a-bishop architect Arthur Blomfield was commissioned by the Bishop of London to supervise the proper exhumation of human remains and dismantling of tombs. For the Midland Railway's route across the original St. Pancras Churchyard. In about 1865 he passed this unenviable task onto his trainee, Thomas Hardy. The work was done behind hoardings and Hardy would visit to ensure the work was being done correctly.

His poem "The levelled churchyard" was surely inspired by this experience:
We late-lamented, resting here,
Are mixed to human jam,
And each to each exclaims in fear,
'I know not which I am!'

Everyone "knows" that Hardy's solution to what to do with all the headstones was to place them around this tree. However, there is a 1926 photo of these stones with no tree. The most likely explanation is that the stones were only gathered here c.1877 when the old burial ground was converted into a public garden, and that the tree self-seeded at some time after that. We thank the London Dead blog for debunking the myth.

Site: Hardy's tree (1 memorial)

NW1, Pancras Road, St Pancras Gardens

This Ash is one of the Great Trees of London.

August 2019: A parasitic fungus that has appeared on the tree means that it has been pruned and cordoned off. The CNJ reports "grave concern".

June 2022: The CNJ reported "Historic Hardy Tree WILL fall" after being weakened by storms.

December 2022: Londonist reported that the tree has fallen.

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:
Hardy's tree

Subjects commemorated i

Thomas Hardy

Novelist and poet, best known for his novels set in rural 'Wessex' such as Te...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

V2 rocket - Charterhouse Street

V2 rocket - Charterhouse Street

EC1, Charterhouse Street, 33, J. J. Mack Building

In 2022 Pavlos Clifton, Head of Development at Bywater Properties published an interesting page about the design of this memorial. This p...

3 subjects commemorated
Natasha Baker gold post box

Natasha Baker gold post box

UB8, High Street, Uxbridge

The Braille is a nice touch (ha, ha) but the plaque, on the back of the box, looks pretty cheap, and cheaply fixed - we won't be surprise...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Southwark Bridge

Southwark Bridge

EC4, Fruiterer's Passage

The new pedestrian subway under the northern approach to Southwark Bridge was formally opened on 19 January 2000 by the unveiling of a sm...

1 subject commemorated
Church Cross - Putney

Church Cross - Putney

SW15, Church Square, St Marys Church

The Bridge plaque is on the far side of the wall beside the woman's head in our photo. The jubilee plaque is laid into the terrace betwee...

6 subjects commemorated
Alice Drakoules bird bath

Alice Drakoules bird bath

NW8, St John's Wood High Street, St John's Wood church gardens

The north face is carved with images of a deer, squirrel, fox and pelican. The opposite face shows a horse, cat, dog and pigeon. The anim...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator