Passing time

For 700 years this square in central Oxford was the graveyard of St Peter-le-Bailey church where from 1585, when records began, until 1870 there was on average one burial a fortnight. When there was no room for any more bodies the walled churchyard became a memorial garden, by this time several feet (and probably torsos and legs too) higher than the surrounding streets. In 1900 it was the obvious home for Oxford's first war memorial.

I don't know what it looked like in 1974 when it was renamed Bonn Square in honour of Oxford's twin town but by the time I first saw it in 1992 it was an insult to our German siblings - a tatty piece of litter-strewn grass half separated from the surrounding area by retaining walls. In an effort to rehabilitate it (and probably to disperse the homeless people who used to sit on the war memorial steps) it was completely redeveloped five years ago. The graves were moved and the memorial lowered. New trees were planted and benches and tall lighting masts with speakers were installed. The people of Bonn kindly donated a sculpture of stacked books.

The space is now used occasionally for street performances, protests and flash-mobs, but mostly for meeting people, waiting for buses and resting shopped-out feet.

Oxford's homeless people now live in nearby streets and doorways.