19G 
Variation and Correlation of the Human Skull 
significance by 1730, when it ceases to be marked on the new surveys. By 1800 
it was built over. We might therefore fairly reasonably assume that burials here 
of whatever kind would date from the latter half of the 17th century, and most 
probably from the time of the Great Plague. 
Turning now to the actual discovery of the bones, we note first that : 
(i) No tombstones and coifin furniture were found. 
(ii) The skeletons were found scattered with great irregularity, more or less 
however in rows in shallow trenches. Dr Peile informs me, that he is fairly 
certain from the manner in which the bones were disposed that they had been 
placed in position with the flesh upon them. 
(iii) The material was very extensive, possibly five to six hundred skeletons. 
(iv) Messrs Peile and Barton at first put on one side only those crania of 
special anatomical interest, but afterwards, the bones having been removed 
to a railway arch, the whole of the material was procured for scientific study. 
(v) The bones were found in made ground, and were said to have been under 
houses just pulled down, which houses had been built in 1820. If this be so, they 
must have been originally buried close to Backchurch Lane, i.e. where the small 
enclosure of 1688 existed. Houses, however, certainly existed on the site 20 to 30 
years earlier. 
(vi) Some of the bones are stained with a green material, looking like salts of 
copper. No coins except a few Victorian halfpence were admitted by the workmen 
to have been found. 
The conclusion drawn at the time from the evidence then available was that 
the material had been taken from a plague pit of the 17th century, just a little 
way from the City gate — Aldgate. 
From the standpoint of science it is most heartrending that no proper 
archaeological enquiry was made at the time. Many points could then have 
been cleared up which can now be only matter for conjecture. 
Now (i) would exclude the idea of a recent burial-ground, although the green 
stain might possibly be due to " coffin furniture." Some hair was found of various 
shades, and pieces of what Dr Peile describes as pi'obably " gold lace." 
Further (ii) would apparently exclude any removal unless very shortly after 
interment. 
If (v) be certain the bones date from before 1820. In Horwood's map of 1799 
houses appear on the site of Kinloch's Stores. Horwood's map also gives a " Bone 
Yard" at the extreme south of Gower's Walk. Mrs Basil Holmes in her book The 
London Burial- Grounds, 1896, includes {Appendix, p. 327) this "Bone Yard, Gower's 
Walk" among "burial-grounds which have been entirely demolished" for new streets, 
etc. I suppose she has some authority for supposing this " Bone Yard " to have 
been a burial-ground, but however this may be, it is entirely away from the site 
