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Monday 1 June 2020

St Bartholomew's, Sydenham

Churchyard of St Bartholomew's, Sydenham
Visited May 2020

St Bartholomew's church on Westwood Hill, Sydenham, South London was built in the early part of the 19th century, completed in 1832 and restored/modified since. It's surrounded by a small but peaceful churchyard, which understandably is mostly Victorian in date. There are a few large monuments, including the ornate grave of Charles English, first vicar of the Parish, and the 1853 tomb of Robert and Elizabeth Harrild.

The main memorial in the churchyard, near the entrance, is the Workmen's Grave. This is where 10 men who died in the construction of the Crystal Palace in 1853, when scaffolding collapsed. This happened when the building was moved from Hyde Park to the area of Sydenham now known as Crystal Palace (at the other end of Westwood Hill). I've photographed the information board beside it, and included that image here. The grave was restored and rededicated in 2003, the 150th anniversary of the accident.













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