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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: Silverhawk on Wednesday 28 March 18 13:53 BST (UK)

Title: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: Silverhawk on Wednesday 28 March 18 13:53 BST (UK)
Found a burial in New Bunhill Fields, 1851. Google says it's an abandoned burial ground in Southwark that Ark Globe Academy is now on top of, and there were excavations done to retrieve remains a few years ago. However Ancestry.co.uk insists that New Bunhill Fields is in Islington borough. How do I know the record I found is for Islington or Southwark? Is Ancestry in error, or am I dealing with two places with the same name?
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: avm228 on Wednesday 28 March 18 13:56 BST (UK)
The National Archives says it was in Islington, so I would go with that!

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/be05f1a8-00c1-4327-b175-01ac3509a061

Looks plausible.
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: KGarrad on Wednesday 28 March 18 13:58 BST (UK)
Wikipedia also says Islington! ;D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunhill_Fields


BUT . . . .

New Bunhill Fields was in Southwark! ;D
http://hidden-london.com/gazetteer/bunhill/
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: avm228 on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:00 BST (UK)
On the other hand - hmmm (from a Google about the school construction):

(Statutory notice published in the Southwark News, Jan 2007)

Disused Burial Grounds (Amendment) Act 1981

Notice of intention to remove human remains from the former New Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, Deverell Street, New Kent Road, SE1 (also known as Hoole & Martin's Burial Ground).
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: KGarrad on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:06 BST (UK)
I edited my previous reply :-\

NEW Bunhill Fields was in Southwark.
(OLD?) Bunhill Fields was in Islington.

In response to the congestion (in Bunhill Fields) a Nonconformist burial ground called New Bunhill Fields was opened in Southwark, at a site now occupied by the Globe Academy.
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: avm228 on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:16 BST (UK)
Yes but what about the defunct Upper Street one which is referred to in the National Archives link?  It was in Islington, but not the same bit of Islington as Bunhill Fields proper (which is very much still there).
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: avm228 on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:18 BST (UK)
The answer may well be that more than one nonconformist burial ground liked to sell itself as the "new" Bunhill Fields (or was colloquially referred to as such).

Does the 1851 burial state the deceased's residence? That may help identify which one is likely to be relevant.
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: Silverhawk on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:24 BST (UK)
The answer may well be that more than one nonconformist burial ground liked to sell itself as the "new" Bunhill Fields (or was colloquially referred to as such).

Does the 1851 burial state the deceased's residence? That may help identify which one is likely to be relevant.

Queen's Row, Pentonville.
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: avm228 on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:27 BST (UK)
Ah - well it'll be the Upper Street, Islington one then - very close by.
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: Silverhawk on Wednesday 28 March 18 14:56 BST (UK)
Thanks for that. It was getting a mite confusing with all the Bunhills. I found yet another one in Golden Lane and was about to go "Arrrggghhhh!!!" :)
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: MrBob on Monday 27 January 20 01:01 GMT (UK)
MOLA (museum of London Archaelogy) has a book about New Bunhill in Southwark

ISBN 978-1-907586-09-5

New Bunhill Fields burial ground, Southwark: excavations at Globe Academy, 2008

Adrian Miles, with Brian Connell
Title: Re: New Bunhill Fields - Where is it?
Post by: Tabbicat26 on Saturday 08 February 20 15:12 GMT (UK)
The Independent Chapel in Upper Street, Islington was built in 1788, having a small burial ground behind it.  The Minister realised that Bunhill Fields was becoming overfull and in 1817 caused the burial ground to be extended to provide accommodation for the future burial of Dissenters (i.e. not C of E).  This burial ground became known as New Bunhill Fields.

In 1840 Abney Park Cemetery was opened by a group of Non-Conformists to provide burial facilities for Non-Conformists/Dissenters once Bunhill Fields was closed for burials.  The chapel has no saintly dedication and was never consecrated, so as to make it acceptable for use by all Christian denominations. 

About twenty years ago we went on a couple of conducted tours of Abney Park which by then, through lack of maintenance, had turned into a wonderful nature reserve and we were told that it was considered to be the natural successor to Bunhill Fields.

The Abney Park website is worth a look, especially the picture of the enormous lion which marks the grave of Frank Bostock, a menagerie owner!