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By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

In 1803, an extra graveyard for St Giles-in-the-Fields was added: inmates include John Soane, whose tomb inspired the K2 phone box; Byron’s physician J.W. Polidori, author of ‘The Vampyre’, was another, plus Bach’s youngest son, & transgender spy the Chevalier d’Eon. #pancrasday https://t.co/LUVJDnXl0Q

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

And on that nefarious note, my #pancrasday walk comes to an end. Thanks for following! (I have plans afoot for historical walks outside London, if you like this sort of thing, and do sign up to my weekly newsletter, gethistories.com)

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

In the 1860s, the Catholic side and much of the St Giles bit was affected by work on the new Midland Railway: many graves had to be moved (an overflow cemetery had already opened up in Finchley in 1854). Contemporaries said it was being “desecrated”. #pancrasday https://t.co/JkiegXOOL9

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

The graveyard has many more stories. Shelley canoodled with Mary here. Dickens fictionalised the bodysnatching. Moody poet Chatterton fell into a fresh grave and killed himself 3 days later. 100,000+ burials were made, including refugees from the French Revolution. #pancrasday https://t.co/Iz8CgwxvBk

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

But even by 1593, antiquarian John Norden would write “Pancras Church standeth all alone, as utterly forsaken, old and weather-beaten”. He warned of thieves and said “Walk not there too late”. The church stood beside the now buried River Fleet (pic is from 1815). #pancrasday https://t.co/LjsmvKfzME

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

The district of St Pancras began as a parish but eventually encompassed dozens of parishes as the population rocketed in the 19th century (now in Camden borough). Swift’s Tale of a Tub is set in Pankridge, a version of the name Pancredge used since the 17th C. #pancrasday

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

Midland Road passes Brill Place, named for ‘The Brill’, earthworks which in 1750 William Stukeley fancifully imagined was where Caesar had held camp. But there were civil war defences here at Brill Farm in 1642 – and in fact a Roman road passes across here too. #pancrasday https://t.co/mVMhuznZXx

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

Just W of here was a 15-sided building called The Polygon (demolished 1890), where writer William Godwin and feminist pioneer Mary Wollstonecraft lived – she died in 1797 giving birth to their daughter: later Mary Shelley. Dickens lived here when he was a teenager. #pancrasday https://t.co/LLUG8bkBtk

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

Here’s hope. #pancrasday https://t.co/kRnDy4jMq2

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:54:37 +0000

Here’s amazing St Pancras Old Church, packed with history I can only touch on. Some have claimed it as England’s oldest but evidence lacks – that gong goes to St Martin, Canterbury, but St Paul’s in London is 7th C. & St Peter-upon-Cornhill could be even older. #pancrasday https://t.co/Bb8tyBH6ap