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THE STRAND DISTRICT, LONDON. 33
Extension of York Street.—In order that a road might be
formed through the block of ground lying between Catherine
Street and Drury Lane, it was necessary to deal with a plot of
land known as the "Russell Court Playground," which was
formerly a burial place belonging to St. Mary-le-Strand. The
removal of the human remains contained therein was effected by
the Necropolis Company, under the supervision of your Medical
Officer of Health, and was effected with great care and without
the occasion of nuisance of any kind. The piece of ground is
stated to have been purchased from the Duke of Bedford in 1723,
as an auxiliary burial ground to the then crowded portion of
ground in connection with the church of St. Mary-le-Strand.
Apparently at that time, or at some period anterior to that, it
had formed part of the back yard and garden of a house which
stood in the vicinity, for in the part of the ground nearest
Catherine Street, vaults ran across it from north to south, and
adjoining these, paved flooring was discovered at a depth of about
12 feet. A well, also, and a cesspool, extending down another
12 feet, were also found. The site had evidently been used as a
shoot for refuse for a while, as layers of broken crockery ware,
oyster shells, &c., were observed during the excavations. Probably
also the burial ground extended originally further towards Cross
Court, as bones were found beneath the yards and outhouses of
the buildings which lately stood there. During the time this
ground was used as a cemetery burials had been numerous. In
the old records, the courts in St. Mary's Parish, which are
now being dealt with under the Clare Market Scheme, contributed
at least one death a week, and, with few exceptions, the burial
took place in the " Green Ground." The area of the ground
in which remains were discovered was about 462 square yards,
and burials have taken place in every part of the ground;
remains were found showing that the coffins must have been
placed side by side and one above the other from a depth
of 12 feet to within 2 feet or even less from the surface.
Few burial grounds could be more overcrowded with bodies
than this one was. Knight, writing of this place in "London "
(Vol. IV. p. 163) says that in 1843, " 20,000 bodies are
c