| Cross Bones | |
|---|---|
 Internal view of the Cross Bones gate | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Established | 1598 (Earliest mention) |
| Closed | 1853 |
| Location | Redcross Way, Southwark, south London, SE1 |
| Country | England |
| Type | Prostitutes and paupers |
| Owned by | Transport for London (as of 2014)[1] |
| No. of graves | Up to 15,000 |
| Website | crossbones.org.uk |
Cross Bones is a disused post-medieval burial ground on Redcross Way in Southwark, south London.[2] Up to 15,000 people are believed to have been buried there. It was closed in 1853.
Cross Bones is thought to have been established originally as an unconsecrated graveyard for prostitutes, or "single women", who were known locally as "Winchester Geese" because they were licensed by the Bishop of Winchester to work within the Liberty of the Clink.[1][3] The area lay outside the jurisdiction of the City of London and as a consequence became known for its brothels and theatres, as well as bull and bear baiting, activities not permitted within the City itself.[4][5] By 1769 it had become a pauper's cemetery servicing St. Saviour's parish.
- ^ a b Lovejoy, Bess (21 October 2014). "The London Graveyard That's Become a Memorial for the City’s Seedier Past", Smithsonian.com.
- ^ Hausner, Sondra L. (2016). The Spirits of Crossbones Graveyard: Time, Ritual, and Sexual Commerce in London. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780253021472.
- ^ Constable, John (1999). The Southwark Mysteries. London: Oberon Books. pp. 264–265, 304–305. ISBN 9781849438537.
- ^ Mikulski, R. (28 March 2007). "Cross Bones burial ground", Museum of London Archeology Service.
- ^ Kettler, Sarah Valente and Trimble, Carol. The Amateur Historian's Guide to Medieval and Tudor London, 1066-1600. London: Capital Books, p. 155.
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