OK there's a bit of a story to this shot. As you might have seen from the previous photo of the
London eye, I was down in London for a couple of courses for work. Usually if I'm staying in the
normal hotel we use, I stick mainly to bankside, and don't venture much further afield. This time
the course was being held a couple of streets away from where we were staying, which led me
further away from my usual haunts.

On the way back from the course (hense the failing light and the high ISO), I happened upon this
big red steel gate covered with prayers, bones, ribbons, flowers, pictures etc. It kind of took me
by surprise, and really reminded me of Tibetean prayer flags. The reason for the offerings, was
the piece of "land" was once a graveyard for the destitute of London. The graveyard was first
uncovered during work on the Jubilee Line extension in the 1990’s, when workmen unexpectedly
started digging up human remains. A bit of historical investigation revealed that this had been
an unconsecrated burial ground for the Prostitutes of Southwark, during the 14th 15th and 16th
Century. And later for the local poor, who were unable to afford a proper burial.

The area seems to be now due for development, which seems to explain the increase over the last
while in the profile and number of prayers of and for the area.

More information can be found here.

I'll head back in better light as it was an incredible place.

Today's extra - our lady of the barbed wire?



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