Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol
Visited October 2017
Arnos Vale cemetery, located 120minutes walk out of the city centre of Bristol, is one of the earliest garden style cemeteries in England. It was founded in 1837, with the first burial in 1839, and rapidly became the place to be buried in Bristol, whether Anglican or non-Conformist, rich or poor.
When you enter the cemetery there is a landscaped area in front of you, with roads leading round to the two mortuary chapels, one of which houses the café (with amazing cakes!) and loos. The other is closed, but it's possible to go into the vaults below it to see the catacomb burials. In this area also is the tomb of Rajah Rammohun Roy, a recently restored marvel of Indian architecture in the form of a Bengali tomb.
Away from the landscaping, the cemetery has the feel of a woodland, with overgrown paths and tombs set into a gentle hillside. It's the sort of place you could wander for ages in, and if you manage to avoid the children in the play area it's remarkably peaceful despite being next to the main Bristol-Bath road. I'll be going back again any time I'm in the area, as I reckon it will reward repeat visits at different times of the year.
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