Cross Bones Gates and Garden

We have received many inquiries regarding the recent moving of the Cross Bones gates a little further south down Redcross Way.

The decision to move the gates was entirely TfL's. Its contractors went a long way towards meeting our concerns. The gates were moved respectfully, without damaging them, and we can now look through them directly into our 'Goose Garden'.

On the other hand, TfL have taken every available inch of land north of the site, insisting on the boundary determined by MoLAS archaeologists. This has meant the loss of the access door on Redcross Way which was used to maintain the garden and the area behind the shrine and which was a designated public access point shown on BOST's plan for a 'Meanwhile Garden'.

Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) and Transport for London (TfL) are close to signing a lease for a 'Meanwhile Garden'. This should eventually enable public access for community gardening, and is a small step towards a permanent Garden of Remembrance.

So it's a mixed bag. It does now seem that TfL have finally accepted that the Crossbones site will be protected in the future. Provided they honour their commitments to protect the gates and enable the establishment of the Meanwhile Garden and eventual public access, we will continue to seek to work constructively with them.

To find out more about the history of Cross Bones cemetery, the campaign for a shrine and garden over the past 18 years and the background to these recent developments, please visit our website: http://crossbones.org.uk

The secret history of Crossbones 'as revealed by The Goose to John Crow' is explored in my book The Southwark Mysteries - along with the poems and Mystery Plays inspired by it. The plays have been performed in Shakespeare's Globe and Southwark Cathedral: http://oberonbooks.com/southwark-mysteries

The link below is to photos by Katy Nicholls recording the moving of the gates:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.770166329673397.1073741826.164035496953153&type=

JC

corrected link to photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.770166329673397.1073741826.164035496953153&type=3

Cant wait to look properly and pay respects to the poor girls who were buried there.

I've always been under the understanding the bodies cover the entire space, in fact go further - so wondering how tfl are going to be able to sell 'the part' that doesn't contain bodies for development? They already got too close several times with the jubilee line extensions as they would't listen to local knowledge about the depth the bodies go. It should just be kept as open land.

Work continues apace at Crossbones! Bankside Open Spaces Trust now has a three-year lease to manage the garden.

Free on-site workshops to date include woodland planting, turfing, and dry stone walling.
Coming up: this Wednesday, March 4th, (10am-2pm) there's a tidying up and painting session in preparation for Sunday, March 8th, (2:30-3:30) when the Crossbones crowd-funding campaign will be launched.
All welcome to both events!
RSVP to 020 7403 3393 or info@bost.org.uk
https://www.facebook.com/BanksideOpenSpacesTrust

Katy
http://www.crossbones.org.uk

BBC thinks its in South West London:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32572901

Okay they corrected it