Established in 1713, St Georges Gardens was the very first burial ground established away from a church. It was at the time two burial grounds, just over a hectare in size, divided by a wall serving the churches of St George the Martyr, Queens Square and St George's, Bloomsbury.
 
As so often happened it's popularity was slow to begin with until a influential churchman named Robert Nelson lead the way by being the first internment. By 1725 there were around twenty burials a month and in 1726 Anna Gibson, the sixth and favorite daughter of Richard Cromwell and granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell was interred beneath an impressive ornate chest tomb.
 
By the early 1800s overcrowding caused a decline in conditions until eventually in 1855 the grounds were closed for burials. After being left to nature for 30 years St Georges burial ground was re-opened in 1885 as a public garden, often being described as an open air living room for the poor and homeless.
 
Since then little has changed although in 1997 the Garden was one of a number of historic parks to receive lottery funding under the new Urban Parks Program. After restoration St Georges Gardens was re-opened once again in Spring 2001.
 
Photos taken on a beautiful autumn day October 2014.

St George's Gardens
Handel Street/Sidmouth Street
Kings Cross
London
WC1N 2NU