St Nicholas Churchyard and Chiswick Old Cemetery, London

St Nicholas Churchyard and Chiswick Old Cemetery, London

Visited April 2016

St Nicholas church in Chiswick is the oldest parish church in Chiswick, dating from the 12th century. The current tower is from the 15th century, but most of the church building is Victorian. There are, I’m told, some wonderful memorials in the church, but sadly it was closed the day I visited.

In the Churchyard there are some important monuments, including the tomb of the artist Hogarth (top picture, below). If you poke around there are also some early stones with skulls and suchlike.

Adjoining the Churchyard is an extension to it, opened in 1871, known as Chiswick Old Cemetery. It’s rather flat, featureless and mundane compared to the Churchyard, but it does contain the tomb of the artist Whistler, and the grave of Frederick Hitch, holder of the V.C. which he won during the Zulu War.

The church and burial ground are easily reached from the Thames Path (the scenic way to arrive if coming on foot) or from Chiswick itself.