East Sheen Cemetery, London

East Sheen Cemetery, London

Visited March 2014

East Sheen Cemetery, near Richmond, was originally known as Barnes Cemetery when it opened in 1906. It adjoins Richmond Cemetery, with only a hedge marking the boundary. It sits in what was once woodland, and a number of mature trees still surround the cemetery. Both cemeteries are still in use, and the chapel in East Sheen is used for services for both East Sheen and Richmond cemeteries. To get to it is a short walk up what feels like a country lane off a busy main road into Richmond

Being a 20th century cemetery there aren't any large Victorian melodramatic tombs here, but there are some splendid early 20th century memorials. The most famous, and rightly so, is the wonderful over-life sized bronze angel draped in mourning over a stone sarcophagus. This is the Lancaster Memorial dating from the early 1920s and it is Grade II listed - and it may be my favourite ever memorial. 

 

Other monuments include the stone soldier standing at the grave of William Rennie O'Mahony, and there are other lovely graves among some other quite plain ones. A lovely place to visit, although as it's still in use to take care not to intrude on mourners. 

 

 

 

St Augustine's Church, Ramsgate, Kent

St Augustine's Church, Ramsgate

Visited April 2015

Also known as the Shrine of St Augustine of Canterbury, this Roman Catholic church in Ramsgate was designed by Augustus Pugin, the celebrated Gothic Revival architect responsible for the interior of the Palace of Westminster. It sits alongside other buildings by Pugin, including his home, The Grange, next door, and he is buried in the church. The church is frequently open to visitors, and is well worth a visit - I've included some photos of the interior here as well as the burial ground which sits between the church and the sea. A new visitor centre will open in 2017 where visitors can find out more about Pugin and Ramsgate.

The churchyard is quite small, and dates from the 1850s onwards. Many of the graves are quite plain, but there are a few rather ornate ones, some in the Italian Catholic tradition. As it was a grey day I didn't spend as long as I'd have liked exploring, so maybe I'll have to go back next time I'm in Kent!