Bunhill Fields - Islington
Contrast is a word which flits in and out of my mind when walking the streets of London. Like wine it improves over sustained periods, 
where sections of a city grow, prosper, wither and much later are revived to follow a new formula. One area is directly north of the City of London. Ancient, but curiously resistant to change in the last century. Infamous during the lead up to WW2 as a place where life was tough and the saltiest London characters lurked, turning any manner of coin to survive.
North and east of Cripplegate, was also an area levelled by bombs during the Second World War and successfully regenerated with the introduction of The Barbican Centre arts complex. The area to the east of the Barbican (so named for the Roman fort that stood here) and bounded by City Road is Bunhill Fields. If you head north from the City of London, passing Finsbury Circus, it feels like a city running out. Fading as you move from its commercial centre, but this is exactly the contrast I'm alluding to. Dip into the history and you'll find an area in flux. Armoury House, a castle-like building and home to the oldest regiment of the British Army, stands immovably beside the entrance to Bunhill Fields.
History of Bunhill/Bonehill Fields
First mentioned in 1104 as part of the Manor of Finsbury, it's believed to be the site of an older Saxon burial ground. The name Bunhill is a mutation of "Bone Hill". The 'fields' element implied that it was not to be used for growing crops and was a full 23 acres in size - much larger than its present dimensions. Grazing, cloth-tenting (newly woven linen was sun-bleached on tenterhooks) and archery practice were popular activities that required just this kind of space. In 1498, 11 acres of the allotment were set aside for members of the Honorable Artillery Company to practise their archery and later, for somewhere to wield their experimental muskets. The land still belongs to the Honorable Artillery Company and a number of significant events occurred here, including the establishment of the first cricket club. It also bore witness to the first person to float above the rooftops of London. Lunardi's balloon flight - which a quarter of London's entire population (200,000 people) came to watch. His balloon edged into the atmosphere, accompanied by both gasps of astonishment and mutterings of "witchcraft".
Any dips and hollows in the fields were filled with 'rags and bones' and lightly covered with soil, especially animal bones from Smithfield, where horse and cattle trading had existed since Roman times. It was initially a rubbish dump of the earliest, landfill variety. However, events assumed a darker tone when burials from St. Paul's Churchyard were redirected here; hundreds of cartloads were recorded making the journey. Compounding this, the 
charnal-house where bones were stored at St. Paul's Cathedral was closed as a 'Popish' concern, during the English Reformation. Traditionally folk were buried until the flesh had rotted, then dug-up and their bones removed to the charnel-house. All the bones from St. Paul's charnel-house were transferred to Bone Hill, causing a size-able mound to rise upon the otherwise flat landscape of the Thames floodplain. Six windmills were later erected, to catch the elevated breeze.
In 1665 the windmills were cleared and the area was redeveloped (this was the year of The Great Plague of London). One might be forgiven for joining the dots and assuming that plague victims were bought here, but not so. Maitland in 1739 states absolutely that this was not the case. Instead they were taken to the major plague pit, near Goswell Street. The burial 'yard' at Bunhill Fields was seen as an appropriate resting place for dissenters and John Bunyan was buried here in 1688, sealing its appeal for those not within the establishment, Church of England faith. The reason being that, clergy had no jurisdiction over burials performed outside consecrated ground.
The 'yard' area for burials and Bunhill Fields beyond, were levelled by bombing in WW2. Post-1945 they were re-developed and divided into two sections - a cleared space of grass and trees and an enclosed area containing the most significant gravestones and monuments. Which includes those of: Daniel Defoe, John Bunyan and William Blake, though obviously not on their original plots.
Back to contrast again. The City of London is one of the most densely packed urban spaces on Earth and here, next to it, is one of the quietest spaces you'll find within a city. That's partly attributable to the dense tree cover and walls surrounding the space, but there's something else. Tens of thousands of peoples' remains are buried beneath this park, and it bristles with silence - if that's possible.
For many, many years the area to the north comprising Shoreditch and Hoxton (Shore Ditch and Hoxton Village, as they were known in medieval times), were deprived and dead-end locations, despite being on the doorstep of the highest global rents in EC1. Now, matters couldn't be more different. After stopping by at Bunhill Fields, continue on to 'Silicon Roundabout', then Shoreditch and Hoxton beyond, where the regeneration tradition is in full swing.
Atmospheric and quality amateur footage from Youtube, shot on a walk around Bunhill Fields - Love the 'Jerusalem' climax. Stirringly English.
Opening Times
October to March: Weekdays from 7.30am to 4.00pm, Weekends and Bank Holidays from 9.30am to 4.00pm
April to September : Weekdays from 7.30am to 7pm, Weekends and Bank Holidays from 9.30am to 7pm
Enclosed Areas: Some of the graves are behind railings. Most areas can be seen from the main paths, however if you wish to enter an enclosed area please visit the site between 1 - 3pm Monday - Friday when an attendant will be available to open the gates or call the City Gardens Office (020 7374 4127) to arrange an appointment.
Bunhill Fields, City Road, Islington London.
Nearest Tube: Old Street Tube/rail or Moorgate Tube/rail
