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When is a burial ground still a burial ground? City grounds on this webite are divided into 'existing' and 'lost' but the distinction is not always clear cut. Clearly a ground that is covered completely by a large office block is 'lost', but what about a site now paved over, with no indication as to its previous purpose? The burial ground of St Lawrence Jewry is a case in point. It is not built on, but now forms part of the pedestrian precinct in front of the Guildhall with no indication that it was once a burial ground.   Even further complications can arrive when buildings are demolished and a once built over ground becomes open space again. Lost or existing?
      
      Probably the only true definition of a lost ground is one that has been emptied of human remains, but that information is not always available, though interesting evidence comes from the website of Cherished lands Ltd., exhumation experts, who list all of the exhumations they have done in London since the sixties.  As it is, visitors to this site should not consider 'existing' and 'lost' as hard and fast definitions.

26th July 2003 following an East London foray pictures of St Anne's Limehouse and St John at Wapping have been uploaded.  See Limehouse.) St Anne's was locked ( I visited on Friday afternoon). While the security issues are fully understandable, it is a great shame that access to buildings as important as this is so restricted. 

October 2003 A visit to St Giles in the Fields. Photographs taken and an entertaining drugs bust witnessed in the church doorway.  St Giles has always had strong associations with criminals - it was here that those on their way to Tyburn were given their last drink.  The busted drugs pusher was probably not about to hung drawn and quartered at Tyburn. 

November 2003 Visited the area around the London Museum and took improved versions of some pictures. There is a good view of the 'Green Ground' of St Giles from the museum, but it is hard to photograph from there through the reflective glass window. 

January - February 2004
Ongoing update of Southwark, with additional information from Ron Woollacott's very helpful book. 

May 2004
An extended tramp around Whitechapel and Spitalfields.  What a wonderful, vibrant part of the city this is! Spitalfields Market must be the best place for good cheap eating in London. The Jewish cemetery has changed not a jot since Holmes's day; Holmeslike, I had to climb a wall to see in. 

June 2004
Updates added for Bethnal Green. Work took me to Chelsea, so was able to do a little photography.

July 2004
Hot walk along the Thames path to Rotherhithe and Bermondsey. 

August 2004
Time off for a whole day in Southwark, St Olaves and the northern part of Newington. 

Winter 2004/5
Much information added on possible burial vaults not recorded by Holmes. 

March 2005 
A working visit to Islington produced photographs of St Mary's Churchyard and the site of The Islington Chapel ground. 

June 2005
Working with teachers in Tower Hamlets - stole three hours at the end of the day to visit and photograph grounds in Stepney and Mile End. The teachers were surprised to learn just how many school playgrounds are built over burial grounds or plague pits! 

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