Gravestones in a tree, the Hardy Tree, St Pancras Churchyard, NW1

[editor]

I've never been to St Pancras Churchyard before, but it's a lovely little park not far from the bustling station

I'd never heard of the Hardy Tree either, but here it is in all its Gothic glory:
http://www.urban75.org/blog/gravestones-in-a-tree-the-hardy-tree-st-pancras-churchyard/

 

[killer b]

ed, when you make a thread to go with a blog post, why not have a 'discuss it here' link to the thread from the blog? i've seen it done elsewhere, and it seems to work quite well...

 

[editor]

ed, when you make a thread to go with a blog post, why not have a 'discuss it here' link to the thread from the blog? i've seen it done elsewhere, and it seems to work quite well...

I usually do - and we're hoping to have this as an integrated feature of the new boards - but I sometimes wait in case the companion thread goes wildly off topic.

 

[xes]

The tree of a thousand dead. Love the picture.

 

[toblerone3]

Old St Pancras Churchyard also contains the graves of the founders of Anarchism, Feminism, a tomb upon which the design for the telephone box is based. A lot of other interesting graves and there is also the claim that Old St Pancras church is the oldest church site in Christianity, older than St Peter's in Rome. Its chokka full of facts.

 

[blossie33]

That's really interesting, I have been past the park many times but never been in - must go and have a look sometime.

Camley Street Natural Park is nearby and definitely worth a visit - a real little oasis.

 

[trashpony]

That was on the walk that London_Calling led last year down the route of the Fleet. It's very

 

[London_Calling]

One of my finer moments; tracking the route of effluent overflow through London for 6 hours.


Some church that, the northside is the oldest <something> in London, IIRC - around a 1,000 years old.

 

[ash]

John Soames is also buried there

 

[toblerone3]

Yes that's the telephone box design.

 

[metalguru]

It's also got a strong Beatles connection (despite the fact that their visit in 1968 probably took no more than 45 minutes), and is the setting for some of their best known photos - the hollyhocks photos.

Beatles Mad Day Out - St Pancras

 

[toblerone3]

It's also got a strong Beatles connection (despite the fact that their visit in 1968 probably took no more than 45 minutes), and is the setting for some of their best known photos - the hollyhocks photos.

Beatles Mad Day Out - St Pancras

 

[marty21]

Old St Pancras Churchyard also contains the graves of the founders of Anarchism, Feminism, a tomb upon which the design for the telephone box is based. A lot of other interesting graves and there is also the claim that Old St Pancras church is the oldest church site in Christianity, older than St Peter's in Rome. Its chokka full of facts.

I remember those facts came out when we did that urban walk there a few years ago!

 

[scalyboy]

John Soames is also buried there

Soane

Stand on the hill looking down towards the road, and imagine the noise of traffic is the sound of the Fleet flowing past.
Thomas Chatterton is reputed to have fallen into an open grave here, presaging his untimely death a few months later.

And look out for the weirdly twisted and stunted pair of trees (Japanese cherries?) which Rimbaud may refer to in his poem 'Promontaire' (this also seems to refer to King's Cross and the big railway hotels there). He and Verlaine lived just around the corner at 8 Royal College Street, and would very likely have visited the churchyard.

 

[London_Calling]

Fwiw, the River Fleet used to sweep along right in front of the church - you can see it's on a raised hillock - where St Pancras Way now is. I like to imagine Boudica stood there directing her forces before it all went tits up, literally in this case.

 

[scalyboy]

Fwiw, the River Fleet used to sweep along right in front of the church - you can see it's on a raised hillock - where St Pancras Way now is. I like to imagine Boudica stood there directing her forces before it all went tits up, literally in this case.

 

[Maggot]

I read a great story about this place. Will look see if it's on line.

 

[gemsvssmeg]

some of you might like this: -

http://www.trolleybooks.com/bookSingle.php?bookId=228