Londoners, commuters and tourists are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the capital's £15billion railway line but while Crossrail offers a look into London's future it is also unearthing a window into its rich and colourful past.
Since work begun on the new line in 2009, a plethora of historical sites and artefacts have been discovered, from those representing the tedium of every day life such as workers' boots and irons chains - to monumental discoveries like a moated Tudor manor at Stepney Green or a mass grave of plague victims underneath Liverpool Street.
So far an army of 200 archaeologists has discovered 10,000 objects, spanning 55million years, across 40 locations and with construction set to finish in 2018, there will no doubt be more.
London is steeped in riverside heritage and a site excavated recently is of particular importance to the capital's once thriving industry on the River Thames.
A slipway belonging to Thames Ironworks, a powerhouse of the British shipping industry in the 19th Century, is the latest site to excite archaeologists.
The Crossrail treasure trove: London's lost shipyard, a medieval moated manor and the Bedlam burial ground all among the fascinating finds since builders started work on the £15bn line
An army of 200 archaeologists have discovered 10,000 artefacts, spanning 55million years, across 40 locations
Among the excavations was a riverside site featuring a slipway belonging to 19th Century firm, Thames Ironworks
Mass grave found at site of Bedlam mental asylum also unearthed thousands of bodies from Great Plague of 1665
Half a million passengers a day are expected to use Crossrail when the capital's new line opens in December 2018
By Alex Matthews For Mailonline
27 February 2016
Daily Mail
Londoners, commuters and tourists are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the capital's £15billion railway line but while Crossrail offers a look into London's future it is also unearthing a window into its rich and colourful past.
Since work begun on the new line in 2009, a plethora of historical sites and artefacts have been discovered, from those representing the tedium of every day life such as workers' boots and irons chains - to monumental discoveries like a moated Tudor manor at Stepney Green or a mass grave of plague victims underneath Liverpool Street.
So far an army of 200 archaeologists has discovered 10,000 objects, spanning 55million years, across 40 locations and with construction set to finish in 2018, there will no doubt be more.
London is steeped in riverside heritage and a site excavated recently is of particular importance to the capital's once thriving industry on the River Thames.
A slipway belonging to Thames Ironworks, a powerhouse of the British shipping industry in the 19th Century, is the latest site to excite archaeologists.
A key riverside heritage site discovered during recent Crossrail works was a slipway belonging to Thames Ironworks, a 19th Century shipping powerhouse, based in east London. Pictured, workers from the firm pose for a picture in its engineering workshop
Mass grave: Two adult skulls lie next to each other on the archaeological excavation site at the Bedlam burial ground at Liverpool Street
The burial site at Bedlam, under Liverpool Street, unearthed thousands of bodies buried on the land during the Great Plague of 1665
Launching ships from the Lea River and into the Thames, the company provided vessels for the Royal Navy as well as other military forces across the world, including those in Russia and Portugal.
As well as introducing pension schemes and the eight-hour day for its workers, many of whom were based in the slums of east London, the firm also formed Thames Ironworks FC - nicknamed 'The Hammers' - who would later go onto be West Ham United.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Daniel Harrison a senior archaeologist at Mola, the firm undertaking the work for Crossrail, said 'It was fantastic to stand on the slipway, which the slips had thundered down.'
He added: 'Very little has happened on this site since the Thames Ironworks closed so it was good to see work back at Canning Town.'
Perhaps one of the most significant finds during the mammoth Crossrail project so far was a mass burial ground at the old Bedlam asylum cemetery site last year.
After initial excavation work, archaeologists found a grave holding bodies of victims from the Great Plague of 1665.
It is believed the area was set up as an overflow cemetery to help surrounding parishes to cope with the abundance of bodies filling the city's graveyards, during the devastating Black Death.
Pictured, skeletons belonging to an adult and child lay side by side in the mass grave at Bedlam. Parishes were devastated by the Black Death and it was common for families to be wiped out at the same time. Pictured bottom, Roman horse shoes found among the buried ruins
The Black Death victims were stumbled upon at the Bedlam site, pictured, after initial excavation work on the cemetery was carried out
After painstaking research led by Crossrail's team of archaeologists, the names and identities of more than 5,000 people in the Bedlam grave (pictured, a skull is excavated there) were found - including a former lord mayor of London, infamous criminals and political activists
It is believed the bodies, pictured, were dumped at Bedlam cemetery because it was used as overflow cemetery by other parishes to deal with the influx of dead bodies caused by the devastating effect of the Black Death
After painstaking research led by Crossrail, the names and identities of more than 5,000 people in the grave were found, with a former lord mayor of London, a notorious criminal and political activists among those on the list.
The names include Sir Ambrose Nicholas, who was lord mayor of London in 1575, and Dr John Lamb (also known as Lam or Lambe), an astrologer and advisor to the First Duke of Buckingham.
Like many of those dumped in the grave it is believed Dr Lamb met a less than pleasant end. Records suggest he was stoned to death by an angry mob outside a theatre in 1628, following allegations of rape and black magic.
Roman remains were also found at the Bedlam site, including this skeleton, alongside pottery and other signs of ancient life in London
While the main finds of the Bedlam site were human remains, coins were also found. The Roman coin pictured is believed to date back to around AD130 and depicts the Emperor Hadrian
Treasure: The excavation project’s first piece of gold was a 16th century Venetian coin, pictured, which was most likely worn as a pendant
While once their status may have set them apart from common folk, the bodies of the rich and infamous were found among those of tortured former patients of Bethlem Royal Hospital, thought to have been the world's first mental asylum.
Bethlem, whose name quickly became pronounced ‘Bedlam’ by Londoners, was founded in 1247 by Simon FitzMary, a wealthy former Sheriff of London, as a priory dedicated to St Mary of Bethlem.
By 1403, the majority of its patients were lunatics. Others suffered from epilepsy, learning disabilities and dementia.
Speaking last year, Jay Carver, lead archaeologist at Crossrail, said the mass grave offered an insight into our capital's eventful history.
He said: 'This research is a window into one of the most turbulent periods of London's past.
More than half a million passengers a day are estimated to use Crossrail when it launches in December 2018, pictured an artist's impression
Crossrail has cost £15billion to create and it is believed that the new line will increase London's rail passenger capacity by 10 per cent. Pictured, workmen look on as a tunnel machine breaks through into the east end of Crossrail's Liverpool Street station
Pictured, the Queen unveils the new Crossrail roundel sign for the 'Elizabeth Line'. The service is set to open with 200 metre-long trains
'These people lived through civil wars, the Restoration, Shakespeare's plays, the birth of modern industry, plague and the Great Fire. It is a real privilege to be able to use Europe's largest construction project to uncover more knowledge about this fascinating period of history.
'Our heartfelt thanks go to the volunteer researchers, who have contributed immensely to Crossrail's legacy.'
As well as bodies from the Great Plague, Roman remains were also discovered underneath Liverpool Street with a collection of ancient skulls found alongside various examples of pottery from the period.
Other finds, arguably more pleasing to the eye, included Roman coins, one from around AD130 depicting the Emperor Hadrian, and the project’s first piece of gold – a 16th century Venetian coin, which archaeologists believe was most likely worn as a pendant due to a hole at its rim.
More than half a million passengers a day are estimated to use Crossrail, renamed the Elizabeth line after the Queen, when it opens in December 2018 and bosses say it will increase London's rail passenger capacity by 10 per cent.
While Crossrail will hope to offer a modern and efficient route to travel around the capital, the heritage left in its wake is perhaps an even greater legacy to savour.
Since work begun on the new line in 2009, a plethora of historical sites and artefacts have been discovered, from those representing the tedium of every day life such as workers' boots and irons chains - to monumental discoveries like a moated Tudor manor at Stepney Green or a mass grave of plague victims underneath Liverpool Street.
So far an army of 200 archaeologists has discovered 10,000 objects, spanning 55million years, across 40 locations and with construction set to finish in 2018, there will no doubt be more.
London is steeped in riverside heritage and a site excavated recently is of particular importance to the capital's once thriving industry on the River Thames.
A slipway belonging to Thames Ironworks, a powerhouse of the British shipping industry in the 19th Century, is the latest site to excite archaeologists.
The Crossrail treasure trove: London's lost shipyard, a medieval moated manor and the Bedlam burial ground all among the fascinating finds since builders started work on the £15bn line
An army of 200 archaeologists have discovered 10,000 artefacts, spanning 55million years, across 40 locations
Among the excavations was a riverside site featuring a slipway belonging to 19th Century firm, Thames Ironworks
Mass grave found at site of Bedlam mental asylum also unearthed thousands of bodies from Great Plague of 1665
Half a million passengers a day are expected to use Crossrail when the capital's new line opens in December 2018
By Alex Matthews For Mailonline
27 February 2016
Daily Mail
Londoners, commuters and tourists are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the capital's £15billion railway line but while Crossrail offers a look into London's future it is also unearthing a window into its rich and colourful past.
Since work begun on the new line in 2009, a plethora of historical sites and artefacts have been discovered, from those representing the tedium of every day life such as workers' boots and irons chains - to monumental discoveries like a moated Tudor manor at Stepney Green or a mass grave of plague victims underneath Liverpool Street.
So far an army of 200 archaeologists has discovered 10,000 objects, spanning 55million years, across 40 locations and with construction set to finish in 2018, there will no doubt be more.
London is steeped in riverside heritage and a site excavated recently is of particular importance to the capital's once thriving industry on the River Thames.
A slipway belonging to Thames Ironworks, a powerhouse of the British shipping industry in the 19th Century, is the latest site to excite archaeologists.
A key riverside heritage site discovered during recent Crossrail works was a slipway belonging to Thames Ironworks, a 19th Century shipping powerhouse, based in east London. Pictured, workers from the firm pose for a picture in its engineering workshop
Mass grave: Two adult skulls lie next to each other on the archaeological excavation site at the Bedlam burial ground at Liverpool Street
The burial site at Bedlam, under Liverpool Street, unearthed thousands of bodies buried on the land during the Great Plague of 1665
Launching ships from the Lea River and into the Thames, the company provided vessels for the Royal Navy as well as other military forces across the world, including those in Russia and Portugal.
As well as introducing pension schemes and the eight-hour day for its workers, many of whom were based in the slums of east London, the firm also formed Thames Ironworks FC - nicknamed 'The Hammers' - who would later go onto be West Ham United.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Daniel Harrison a senior archaeologist at Mola, the firm undertaking the work for Crossrail, said 'It was fantastic to stand on the slipway, which the slips had thundered down.'
He added: 'Very little has happened on this site since the Thames Ironworks closed so it was good to see work back at Canning Town.'
Perhaps one of the most significant finds during the mammoth Crossrail project so far was a mass burial ground at the old Bedlam asylum cemetery site last year.
After initial excavation work, archaeologists found a grave holding bodies of victims from the Great Plague of 1665.
It is believed the area was set up as an overflow cemetery to help surrounding parishes to cope with the abundance of bodies filling the city's graveyards, during the devastating Black Death.
Pictured, skeletons belonging to an adult and child lay side by side in the mass grave at Bedlam. Parishes were devastated by the Black Death and it was common for families to be wiped out at the same time. Pictured bottom, Roman horse shoes found among the buried ruins
The Black Death victims were stumbled upon at the Bedlam site, pictured, after initial excavation work on the cemetery was carried out
After painstaking research led by Crossrail's team of archaeologists, the names and identities of more than 5,000 people in the Bedlam grave (pictured, a skull is excavated there) were found - including a former lord mayor of London, infamous criminals and political activists
It is believed the bodies, pictured, were dumped at Bedlam cemetery because it was used as overflow cemetery by other parishes to deal with the influx of dead bodies caused by the devastating effect of the Black Death
After painstaking research led by Crossrail, the names and identities of more than 5,000 people in the grave were found, with a former lord mayor of London, a notorious criminal and political activists among those on the list.
The names include Sir Ambrose Nicholas, who was lord mayor of London in 1575, and Dr John Lamb (also known as Lam or Lambe), an astrologer and advisor to the First Duke of Buckingham.
Like many of those dumped in the grave it is believed Dr Lamb met a less than pleasant end. Records suggest he was stoned to death by an angry mob outside a theatre in 1628, following allegations of rape and black magic.
Roman remains were also found at the Bedlam site, including this skeleton, alongside pottery and other signs of ancient life in London
While the main finds of the Bedlam site were human remains, coins were also found. The Roman coin pictured is believed to date back to around AD130 and depicts the Emperor Hadrian
Treasure: The excavation project’s first piece of gold was a 16th century Venetian coin, pictured, which was most likely worn as a pendant
While once their status may have set them apart from common folk, the bodies of the rich and infamous were found among those of tortured former patients of Bethlem Royal Hospital, thought to have been the world's first mental asylum.
Bethlem, whose name quickly became pronounced ‘Bedlam’ by Londoners, was founded in 1247 by Simon FitzMary, a wealthy former Sheriff of London, as a priory dedicated to St Mary of Bethlem.
By 1403, the majority of its patients were lunatics. Others suffered from epilepsy, learning disabilities and dementia.
Speaking last year, Jay Carver, lead archaeologist at Crossrail, said the mass grave offered an insight into our capital's eventful history.
He said: 'This research is a window into one of the most turbulent periods of London's past.
Pictured, the Queen unveils the new Crossrail roundel sign for the 'Elizabeth Line'. The service is set to open with 200 metre-long trains
'These people lived through civil wars, the Restoration, Shakespeare's plays, the birth of modern industry, plague and the Great Fire. It is a real privilege to be able to use Europe's largest construction project to uncover more knowledge about this fascinating period of history.
'Our heartfelt thanks go to the volunteer researchers, who have contributed immensely to Crossrail's legacy.'
As well as bodies from the Great Plague, Roman remains were also discovered underneath Liverpool Street with a collection of ancient skulls found alongside various examples of pottery from the period.
Other finds, arguably more pleasing to the eye, included Roman coins, one from around AD130 depicting the Emperor Hadrian, and the project’s first piece of gold – a 16th century Venetian coin, which archaeologists believe was most likely worn as a pendant due to a hole at its rim.
More than half a million passengers a day are estimated to use Crossrail, renamed the Elizabeth line after the Queen, when it opens in December 2018 and bosses say it will increase London's rail passenger capacity by 10 per cent.
While Crossrail will hope to offer a modern and efficient route to travel around the capital, the heritage left in its wake is perhaps an even greater legacy to savour.
Last edited:
