Crypt with a Cafe
By Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19588)
London, England
October 31, 2024 4:10pm CST
Before succumbing to a monster cold, I was in Trafalgar Square and popped into St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, next to Trafalgar Square. I knew there was a cafe there, but hadn’t visited it before now.
The main reason I wanted to visit was to see an original whipping post, dating from the 1750s. A time when you could receive a public whipping for drunkenness, immorality and denigrating the monarch. A punishment that lasted until the mid-nineteenth century.
There has been a church on this site since medieval times and possibly earlier as burials dating from late Roman times have been uncovered.
In a crypt is a pleasant cafe with an unusual floor, which is made from tombstones. Burials were banned in the 1850s, because of a shortage of space, and there is no longer anyone buried here.
Here is my short video of the church and crypt.
https://youtu.be/B8XpvgjSSLc
13 people like this
14 responses
@aureategloom (11218)
• Bosnia And Herzegovina
1 Nov
floor made from tombstones?? interesting. how did you feel being there?
4 people like this
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
1 Nov
@aureategloom With With London running out of space for burials laws were passed to stop them within the city and some were reburied outside the city
3 people like this
@celticeagle (168192)
• Boise, Idaho
31 Oct
Whipping for these reasons is rather extreme. I guess in a small community it teaches a lesson.
4 people like this
@celticeagle (168192)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Nov
@Ronrybs .......Yes, it is. All of that could come back if Trump gets his way.
4 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80686)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
31 Oct
Very interesting, I am fascinated by all kinds of history, I hope your cold gets better soon,
4 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80686)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
1 Nov
@Ronrybs when mom had a bad cold she swore by hot tea with lemon and a hefty splash of brandy then covered up in bed and sweated it all out,
2 people like this
@Ronrybs (19588)
• London, England
2 Nov
@RasmaSandra I go for honey and lemon sometimes with a spoon of cinnamon
1 person likes this
@luisadannointed (6329)
• Philippines
1 Nov
I hope you feel a lot better today.
But I don't think I would love to have a coffee in there.
3 people like this
@JESSY3236 (20046)
• United States
5 Nov
cool video. Kinda creepy knowing you are eating near tombstones.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (62924)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
20 Nov
Florida needs some whipping posts
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (62924)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
20 Nov
@Ronrybs Have you been to Florida? We harbor all the crazies
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (5813)
• Calcutta, India
7 Nov
"unusual floor, which is made from tombstones." - sounds scary to me hehe
Hope you recover from the cold soon.
Hope you recover from the cold soon.1 person likes this
