London – Southwark (Borough of) – Churchyard of St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey

This is the former churchyard of St. Mary Magdalen church in Bermondsey, which closed to new burials in 1854. There was a growing concern in urban areas that disease was spreading due to these graveyards and space was often limited anyway, so there was a move towards the provision of municipal cemeteries. Today, the area is a park, although there are a few monuments remaining and some which are of historic note. The land was given by the church to the council in 1882, which after some changes in local Government over time means it’s now under the care of Southwark Council.

But, away from the memorials of note which are still in situ, this is the little arrangement that Southwark Council seems to think is entirely acceptable. It doesn’t look ideal to me, shattered stones just dumped here at the edge of the park. A sad end to these stones, some of which would have likely caused the family some difficulties to afford at the time.