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The info I have states that during the 17th century outbreak, 4000 victims were buried there in the space of a fortnight. This was, obviously, in the cemetery of St Botolph's Church right next to the current station. Although the current church dates to the mid-18th century, there has been one on that site since Saxon times.
The bones would have been removed not only during the construction of Aldgate station but also, I suspect, during the construction of the nearby road system to the west.
Just for jolly, here's a picture of the upper floors of two buildings on Whitechapel High Street extracted from a photo taken by Rob Clack from another thread. It struck me that this is more or less what 26 and 27 Dorset Street would look like if they were still standing.
37,000 Skeletons: Old London Gravesites & Plague Pits
Hi, Philip; thank you for answering my question about the Plague Pit at Aldgate. I've read Daniel Defoe's 'A Journal of the Plague Year' several times; it's fascinating. Life during the Plague sounds utterly horrific.
I found this Times Online article which talks about the 37,000 skeletons dug up from under London Streets, and the efforts underway by the Museum of London to study them. Apparently the plan is to choose 26 of the most interesting to put on public display.
News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times
The Times article talks about the tens of thousands of dead who "lie buried" beneath London streets, but from the way it's phrased I can't tell if they mean that there used to many thousands of bodies buried beneath the modern city or that it's known that there still are- does anybody know?
The article also states that there's an interactive map linked to this article showing you where the forgotten burial sites were discovered.
The interactive map sounds cool; it's supposed to let you find out if you "walk over dead people to go to work".
- I wonder if any of my friends do?
...Or maybe you only walk over the living.
For some reason I was unable to find the interactive map on the page indicated. Maybe someone else will have better luck.
I can't help wondering if the skeleton map was quietly removed because those in the London Real Estate industry realized their customers
might not enjoy learning that their new over-priced condo was standing on top of a pit full of Plague victims.
Christ Church, Spitalfields: investigations of the burial crypt 1984-1986
Following the current thread, I just thought that the following link to the Archeological Data Service's website featuring a very detailed and well illustrated report into the investigation of Christ Church's burial crypt.
There are downloadable reports illustrations and plenty of interesting photographs
[IMG][/IMG]
Following the current thread, I just thought that the following link to the Archeological Data Service's website featuring a very detailed and well illustrated report into the investigation of Christ Church's burial crypt.
There are downloadable reports illustrations and plenty of interesting photographs
[IMG][/IMG]
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