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Aldersgate Ward
Key:   Current observations and notes   Holmes (1897)      Other sources     Maps

 

Existing grounds

St. Botolph's Churchyard, Aldersgate Street.  
Additional ground for Christ Church, Newgate Street.

Additional ground for St. Leonard’s, Foster Lane. 

Chadwick reports around 250 burials per year  up to 1842. The figure from the Parish records of 1850 (See report below) suggests a lower figure.
Joined together to form  '
Postman's Park', a pleasant open space containing the curious monument to unknown Edwardian heroes.
Vaults of St Botolph cleared and removed to Brookwood 1893 - the ground probably reduced at the same time. 

 
This report by Mr Simon, the local Medical Officer of Health, gives an idea of the state of the ground in 1850:

According to your desire, I have enquired into the condition of the burial ground adjoining the church of St Botolph, Aldersgate.
 In your inspectors’ reports the area of this ground is stated at 1783 square yards. I have found, on examination of the parish record, that during the last five years (1845 – 49 inclusive) 547 burials have taken place. The number is excessive in proportion to the space; and I entertain no doubt that that it would be both offensive and hurtful to make, during the approaching summer, any fresh disturbance of a soil so saturated with decomposing animal remains.
  On inspection, it appeared to me that the graves were crowded together and that the soil, where turned up for present interment, contained a quantity of animal matter as yet but very incompletely decayed.
The Times, Wednesday May 8th 1850


St. Olave's Churchyard, Silver Street. 
The site of the burned church. An area that was flattened during WW2. The
Churchyard survived, though the surroundings are utterly changed. It is now in London Wall.  By 1841 the ground was out of use. 
St Olave's consecrated a small additional ground in 1612 but the location is not clear.


Pre-war view



2004


2004


View from London Wall Walkway


St. Ann and St. Agnes, Gresham Street.
More churchyard-like and less sanitised than many in London.  In the fourteenth century ground was to the south, but it was extended  to the east of the church. c. 70 burials a year in the 1840s. 


St. John Zachary, Gresham Street. 
Site of burned church and its churchyard. Incorporated with St Ann and St Agnes and used by the combined parish for burials until the 1850s, though by 1841 only around six burials took place each year.  Had been run down, but extensive work in 2002 has produced an attractive garden provided by the Goldsmith's company. 


St. Mary Staining, Oat Lane.
The site of the burned church.
 A bleak expanse of grass in front of a plate glass building - some gravestones around the edge. Out of use by 1841.


Lost ground

Burial grounds of St Martin le Grand and St Leonard, Foster Lane. 
W. side of Foster Lane. The General Post Office was built here in the 1840s - now offices. The area marked in red is probably the site of the church, destroyed in the fire. The original large burial ground of St Martin Le Grand extended to the south, covering part of the ground shown as open space on Horwood. 


Horwood