Tuesday Skeletons

Go to St Bride’s church, just off Fleet Street.  It’s known for many things.  The steeple is said to have inspired the modern tiered wedding cake, Samuel Pepys was born next door and the ‘Father of Fleet Street’, Wynkyn de Worde, set up his printing press nearby in 1500.

Have a look at the Roman pavement that was discovered in the crypt during excavations following fire bomb damage to the church in WW2.  And, if you’re not too squeamish, on selected Tuesdays at 3pm you can join a church tour, which allows you to visit the vaults (not usually open to the public) where you’ll find over 200 skeletons, either lying loose on the ground or meticulously placed into boxes and labelled.

Take time to peruse the detailed records kept regarding the bones and the causes of death.  You may notice a certain Mr John Lucas, a coal merchant who departed in 1790. He died ‘suddenly, by getting up in a hot night and refreshing himself at his chamber window.’

Jonnie Fielding runs Bowl of Chalk ‘Pay what you want’ London Walking Experiences