Wild rumours and misinformation seem to be going the rounds in the Cross Bones community. I’ve checked with BOST and… nothing has changed! Mary from BOST provided this clarification:
Regarding the sale of the site – I called and spoke to Lowick, who are the team responsible for all the communications about The Liberty of Southwark, including the Crossbones work. They let me know that:
Nothing has changed since the previous CSG*, and the site is not for sale. While Red Lion Court has been put up for sale, this is a site entirely independent of The Liberty.
At the last steering group meeting, Lowick updated the group on the project’s progress… the minutes from that meeting state:
Landsec gave an update on the project following the announcement of a project pause at the prior meeting of the Group. Landsec are still facing similar hurdles that led to the project pause – namely the wider economic environment and the difficulty in unlocking recent building legislation. Landsec are working with development partners and the London Borough of Southwark to see what is possible for the site, and what the best route to progress The Liberty, and associated Crossbones Enhancement works is – with a number of options available to the team.
If you hear people saying that the site has been told, please set them straight!
* CGS = Crossbones Steering Group, which includes representatives of BOST and the Crossbones community
Of course we’d all like movement on this, not least so that Cross Bones protection and maintainance is enshrined alongside the ‘The Liberty of Southwark’ development on the site to the north.
Incidentally, u+i the previous developer “borrowed” the name ‘The Liberty’ and copied several verses from ‘The Book of The Crow’ / ‘The Southwark Mysteries’. Although I wasn’t consulted as the author, I don’t particularly mind – provided it leads people to explore the deep Mysteries of Crossbones Graveyard, The Goose and Her ‘Liberty’:
Come drain me Marsh
And tan me hide,
Come Immigrant and Refugee,
Come brew me beer
And wool be dyed
In the making of The Liberty.
Come lock and stock
To Overie Dock
From Flanders, France and Italy,
Come Molls and Dolls
And fol-de-rols
A-taking of The Liberty.
Come Heretic, Outlaw,
Jack Crow and Jack Daw,
Here shall ye all find Sanctuary,
Where the Actors and Whores
Are the Keepers of Doors
That open into The Liberty.
Come Black, come White,
We Open All Night.
In the Dance of Delight, all’s One to me.
Take each as I find,
And I’ll have them Mind
The Stewardship of My Liberty.
