Nunhead Cemetery, London

Nunhead Cemetery, London

Visited May 2012

Nunhead Cemetery in Peckham Rye, south London is one of the seven original 'Magnificent Seven' Victorian garden cemeteries opened in London in the mid-19th century, and is quite possibly the least known of them, despite being the second largest. It was consecrated in 1840, originally known as All Saints Cemetery, Nunhead.

The Cemetery doesn't contain the great and the good of better known cemeteries such as Highgate or Kensal Green. It's now a local nature reserve, with large swathes of mature trees hiding a variety of angels and some quite magnificent mausoleums. The Anglican chapel was restored a few years ago, and stands like a Medieval ruin at the top of the main avenue. Burials are still carried out here, but only in family plots. The views over the City of London from the top of the hill are well worth the walk!

 

Kensal Green Cemetery, London

Kensal Green Cemetery, London

Visited May 2012

Kensal Green cemetery in north London is one of the original 'Magnificent Seven' cemeteries, and it's my personal favourite. There are a huge number of Egyptian style monuments in this cemeteries, as well as memorials for people as diverse as Royalty (a son of George III is here), tightrope walkers (Charles Blondin) and engineers (Isambard Kingdom Brunel).

Opened in 1833, this cemetery was the first of the Magnificent Seven to open, and is still run by the General Cemetery Company under the original Act of Parliament that set it up almost 200 years ago.

There are wonderfully wild parts of the cemetery, and some which are much more neat (in particular near the crematorium - this area is still in use today). Some parts, such as the Anglican chapel, are shut for restoration work in 2015, but there are still regular tours run by the Friends, and very few people wandering round - visit this place, and I hope you love it as much as I do!

St George's Park, Tower Hamlets

St George's Park, Tower Hamlets, London

Visited August 2015

St George's Park in the London borough of Tower Hamlets is the former churchyard of St George's in the East, one of the 6 remaining Hawksmoor churches in London. The churchyard stopped being used in the early Victorian period, and in the mid-19th century it became a public park. The gravestones have been moved to the surrounding walls, with only a couple of larger tombs left 'in situ'. The park is tucked away, with a wildlife garden, grassy areas and the ruined remains of the old 'Nature Study Museum' (opened in 1904, until WW2), itself in the old mortuary building. There are some fascinating gravestones to be seen, so it's worth having a look at. And be sure to take the time to see the mural to the Cable Street Battle on the wall of the town hall on your way out/in.

The Battle of Cable Street Mural

The remains of the Nature Study Museum

Churchyard of St Paul's, Shadwell, London

Churchyard of St Paul's, Shadwell, London

Visited August 2015

On the edge of Wapping, by the Shadwell Basin, is this church - the building is the third on the site, built in 1820. There are a number of tombs and gravestones around it, but sadly most are inaccessible behind railings. The church is traditionally known as the Church of the Sea Captains (Capt James Cook was a regular worshipper here), but there little evidence of this among the remaining gravestones. Some of the tombs in front of the church (not behind railings) have the indignity of being surrounded by bins and traffic cones.  Have a look if you're passing, but I wouldn't seek it out.

 

Abney Park Cemetery, London

Abney Park Cemetery, London

Visited May 2012

Abney Park Cemetery, in Stoke Newington, London Borough of Hackney, is one of the 'Magnificent Seven' Victorian garden cemeteries. The entrance is right on Stoke Newington High Street, and is quite easy to walk past. But once through the Egyptian style entrance gates, an overgrown wilderness awaits - it's managed for access, but some parts feel like they've never been seen before!

Opened for burials in 1840, the cemetery was created as a non-denominational, or Dissenters, cemetery, for the burial of non-Church of England worshippers. Those buried here include the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth. In the midst of the cemetery is a non-denomination chapel, now sadly in a state of disrepair.

The cemetery was created on land which had belonged to the estates of Fleetwood House and Abney House, and was laid out not just as a cemetery, but as an arboretum with over 2500 varieties of plants and trees. Now, the cemetery is closed to burials and it is run as a Local Nature Reserve.