“THERE’S A HOLE IN THE FENCE…”
STRANGEST GRAVEYARD I HAVE EVER SEEN
(Worth a read. Really. Strangest place in North London with a history going back to the Roman Emperor Diocletian )
alan skeoch
August 2018
“LOOK, there’s a hole in the fence.”
“Seems creepy.”
“Come on, see where it leads.”
“Gravestones covered in Ivy.”
“It’s a graveyard…a forgotten graveyard.”
“Creepy, Alan, a place where weirdo’s could hide.”
“No sign of a living person.”
“Who was St. Pancras?”
“A 14 year old kid way back in the days of the Roman Emperor Diocleitan who was quite a guy. he favoured persecution of Christians because
they seemed to be a threat to Roman authority. Christians were one God people. Doclietian supported the Roman idea of all kinds of gods.
Christians were also pacifists! Now how could Roman legions be organized if Rome became a pacifist empire. St. Pancras was a strong Christian…he refused
to recant. So Diocletian had him BEHEADED and that is why the little boy Pancras became St. Pancras.”
“But how come he is revered here in London?”
“St. Pancras is one of the oldest Christian churches in England. Saint Pancras church was founded by Saint Asugstine of Canterbury. I guess he wanted to be sure that the teen ager Pancras would
never be forgotten.”
“There is no church in this graveyard…where did you get the idea there was a church here?”
“London moved bodies around a lot, particularly in the 19th century when the railway boom was going full tilt.”
“So what…there is no railway line near here.”
“St. Pancras Church is in the centre of London. The church is still there but the graveyard is not…it was moved to leafy rural North London to make room for a railway.”
“How many were moved?”
“I don’t know. But This graveyard has nearly a million bodies., only some of which were moved here.”
“Who did the moving?”
“Thomas Hardy, the great novelist, got the job. He was a young architect at the time
(Look up ‘The Hardy Tree’ for proof)
Speaking of architects, deep in the abandoned St. Pancras graveyard a young architect has built tis tree fort.
Somehow I doubt he uses it on dark nights.
Just before we flew back to Canada I took another lonely walk through St. Pancras graveyard. Fear gnaws at the mind
when alone in such a place.
Enough. I searched for the hole in the fence. Made a few wrong turns but eventually escaped. But not before
I got properly startled. Another man was wandering through the graveyard. Never saw him until we both reached
the hole in the fence. Never heard him. Just felt a presence. Turned around and there he was right behind me. Touching distance…that close.
“Startled me!”
“Right place for that”
“True”
No wonder Charles Dickens found St. Pancras graveyard a good place for grave robbers and body snatchers to hide.
Next Halloween I dare you…double dare you…triple dare you…to take a walk through St. Pancras graveyard at dusk…or
after nightfall. Do not expect me to come along with you.
alan
