BURIAL-GROUNDS 251 



whole was pulled down by order of the Protector 

 Somerset, who used some of the material in building 

 Somerset House. It was on that occasion that the 

 cartloads of hones were removed to Finsbury Fields. 

 There, covered with earth, they made a solid, con- 

 spicuous hill on which windmills were erected. It was 

 part of this same ground which has already been referred 

 to as Bunhill Fields. Great as was the damage done by 

 the Fire, perhaps no site has been so completely altered as 

 that of St. Paul's. The modern cathedral, dearly loved 

 by all Londoners, stands at quite a different angle from 

 the old one, the western limit of which is marked by the 

 statue of Queen Anne. Nestling close to the south-west 

 corner of the great Gothic cathedral with its lofty spire, 

 was the parish church of St. Gregory, and the crypt was 

 the parish church of St. Faith's. Both these parishes 

 were allocated a portion of the churchyard for their 

 burials. 



To the north-east of the cathedral stood Paul's 

 Cross, the out-door pulpit whence many notable sermons 

 were preached. It is described by Stowe. " About the 

 middest of this Churchyard is a pulpit-crosse of timber, 

 mounted upon steps of stone, and covered with Lead, in 

 which are Sermons preached by learned Divines, every 

 Sunday in the fore-noone. The very antiquity of which 

 Crosse is to me unknowne." The earliest scene he 

 records as taking place at this " crosse," was when 

 Henry III., in 1259, commanded the Mayor to cause 

 " every stripling of twelve years of age and upward to 

 assemble there," to swear " to be true to the King and 

 his heires. Kings of England." In later times, the most 

 distinguished preachers of the day were summoned to 

 preach before the Court and the Mayor, Aldermen and 



