Beckenham Cemetery, London

Beckenham Cemetery, London

Visited December 2020

Beckenham Cemetery is in the borough of Bromley, sandwiched between South Norwood Country Park and Birkbeck railway station, but named after none of these... It is a large, sprawling cemetery which must be stunning in summer when the trees are in leaf. In winter, on a crisp sunny day, it was lovely to walk around this older, wooden part. The more modern part, nearest to the country park, is less wooded and still in use for burials as well as being the site of Beckenham Crematorium. A few modern burials are also to be found among the trees, but much less so.

The cemetery was founded in 1880, and known as the Crystal Palace District Cemetery. It houses an ornamental garden and waterfalls which I didn't visit as it was cold, and I suspect they're better viewed in the summer anyway. It's a beautiful place for a walk, easily enough to fill a few hours and well worth a visit.

Among the most famous graves here is that of W.C. Grace, the cricketer. Also somewhere here is the grave of Thomas Crapper, he of the flushing toilet fame, but despite being armed with a map and photograph I couldn't find him. Another day.

One of my favourite graves is that of Henry Lowdes, depicting a soldier 'On Guard'. Only a couple of days later I was walking through Camberwell Old Cemetery and, buried in the grass, I spotted a near-identical figure which had been toppled and somewhat damaged (it's headless and the arms are broken) but I'd never spotted before! 

Henry Lowndes (left, in Beckenham) and Lord Rodney (right, in Camberwell)