Post-medieval cemetery of St James, Bowling Green Lane, Islington, London

The development of a three storey building for business and residential use in Clerkenwell, London Borough of Islington necessitated a planning condition requiring archaeological works.

This was because the site had been previously used as a post-medieval burial ground associated with St James’ Clerkenwell. At least 3,000 people had been buried in the cemetery between c.1660-1853. However, archaeological excavation of the entire site was not cost-effective or archaeologically sound due to the date of the burials.

Before works began on site a detailed desk-based assessment researching the historical records was undertaken. An evaluation identified the extent and density of the burial ground. AOC Archaeology Group together with Marldon, English Heritage and the Department for Constitutional Affairs came up with a methodology that would maximise the data recovered, was ethically sound and could be incorporated into the development scheme in a cost effective manner. It was decided that a sample of 700 skeletons would be archaeological excavated and retained for osteological examination. The remainder of the site was cleared by an exhumation contractor working under an archaeological watching brief.  

The site was thus cleared of buried human remains in an ethical manner prior to the development. This was achieved by working closely with Marldon Ltd on project planning to ensure that there were no delays to the construction schedule. The analysis of the remains will produce a valuable data set for the study of post-medieval burials in London which will incorporate the historical data from the parish. 
 
AOC Project Manager: Melissa Melikian
Client: Marldon Ltd