Beyond Bedlam

As Crossrail progresses, so does its archaeology programme. The dig at Liverpool Street has been featured in the news recently, thanks to its discovery of the Bedlam burial ground. (This was not for residents of the notorious hospital, but being unattached to any particular church attracted a diverse range of Londoners). Attention-grabbing they might be, but those three thousand bodies aren't its only finds of interest. 

2nd century Roman pot

Glass fragments

The excavation has continued down into the medieval and Roman levels, and when I visited with London Historians last week, we were lucky enough to see some of the most recent finds. They might not have quite the impact of all those skeletons, but they are pretty wonderful in their own right. 

Roman pottery head

Roman fascinum charm

With a railway to build, the time for excavation is strictly limited. At Liverpool Street, archaeologists are working in shifts until 11pm at night, so there was still plenty of activity during our early-evening visit. Viewing windows in the hoardings, and regular opening times, allow the public to follow the work - and a lecture programme starts next month.