St James’ Gardens Burial Ground
Archaeologists working on the HS2 project in Euston discovered the remains of Captain Matthew Flinders. The Royal Navy explorer led the first circumnavigation of Australia and is credited with giving the country its name.
Uncovering the site
Given there were 50,000 human remains at St. James’s, our archaeologists weren’t confident that they were going to find him. Luckily Captain Flinders had a lead depositum (breast plate) meaning it would not have corroded. We’ll now be able to study his skeleton to see whether life at sea left its mark and what more we can learn about him.
Over two hundred years after his death, Captain Matthew Flinders will be going home to Lincolnshire.
Learn more about the Captain Matthew Flinders find and his extraordinary life.
The scientific study of human remains from St James burial ground will better our understanding of life and death in London’s 18th and 19th centuries, shedding light on health and disease, social status and lifestyle. Those buried in the long since demolished chapel and burial ground include individuals from all walks of life: paupers and nobility, artists and musicians, soldiers and sailors, inventors and industrialists, as well as victims of accidents, disease, suicide and murder. Additionally, in 2017, two Victorian time capsules were uncovered, marking the opening of the UK’s first “sober” hospital.
Working with the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, we agreed with Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey that the remains would be reinterred. To honour the deceased, a memorial monument has been erected within a new landscaped garden. The design of the monument takes inspiration from the form of the gravestones and ledgers found at St. James’s Gardens.
An exhibition revealing the life stories of Londoners during the 1700s and 1800s offers something different for a London day out this spring. Visitors were able to enjoy an interactive art installation exploring the lives of five people who were buried at St James’s Burial Ground next to Euston Station.
Slide 1 of 9: The team of archaeologists working at the St James' Gardens Burial Ground dig in Euston.
Slide 2 of 9: Portrait of Captain Matthew Flinders.
Slide 3 of 9: Stories of St James's Gardens Exhibition.
Slide 4 of 9: Brookwood Cemetery memorial monument honouring the excavated remains from St James’s Gardens in Euston.
Slide 5 of 9: The lead breast plate on Captain Flinders' coffin.
Slide 6 of 9: Archaeologists recording the finds at St James' Gardens Burial Ground.
Slide 7 of 9: Stories of St James's Gardens Exhibition.
Slide 8 of 9: Arcaheologists taking part in the dig at St James' Gardens Burial Ground.
Slide 9 of 9: Blue plaque on Fitzroy Street where Captain Flinders lived.
More on archaeology
Community voices
We invited people to share their stories as part of an oral history project.
Sharing the discoveries
Find out how we're sharing our finds.
HS2 route map
The map displays information about our archaeological sites along the route.
Find out what HS2 means for Camden
This section provides you with information about HS2 works and developments in your area.