Charterhouse Square and The Black Death

posted in: Bradshaw in London, Home | 0

The Guardian this morning carried news of twelve skeletons found beneath Charterhouse Square, thought to be victims of The Black Death. The skeletons were unearthed during the excavations for the CrossRail Project in London.

Plague victims' skeletons are unearthed during the constructions of the Crossrail link in London

Archaeologists believe the site may be a mass burial ground and the article points out that John Stow talked of 50,000 bodies.

I was at Charterhouse Square just a month ago.

Building CrossRail next to Smithfield Market, looking from Charterhouse Square
Building CrossRail next to Smithfield Market, looking from Charterhouse Square

I know these are ‘just’ bones but I wonder if there was any sense of spirit as they were uncovered? The Charterhouse felt very old, and peaceful, as I looked in from the outside, but the square felt empty. If this was indeed a mass burial ground would you not expect there to be some breath or hint of mood in the past?

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