There are a number of cemeteries in Greater London. Among them are the Magnificent Seven, seven large Victorian-era cemeteries. There are also a number of crematoria. A number of cemeteries have listed buildings or structures, or have been placed on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens by English Heritage. Others have secured Green Heritage Site accreditation or may be on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
"The Magnificent Seven"
editThe Magnificent Seven cemeteries were the first commercial cemeteries constructed around the outskirts of London. They are all of special historical value and are on the English Heritage lists.
Name | Date opened | London Borough | Postal area | Area acres[1] | Graves (interments) | Closed | Remarks | "Friends" |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abney Park Cemetery | 1840 | London Borough of Hackney | N16 | 32.5 | (200,000) | Yes | It became the main burial place of English nonconformists when Bunhill Fields closed | Yes |
Brompton Cemetery | 1840 | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | SW10 | 38 | 35,000+ (205,000) | No | Owned and maintained by The Royal Parks | Yes |
Highgate Cemetery | 1839 (East) 1854 (West) |
London Borough of Camden, Haringey and Islington | N6 | 38 | 53,000+ (170,000) | No | Divided into East and West cemeteries | Yes |
Kensal Green Cemetery | 1833 | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | W10 | 70 | 65,000+ (250,000) | No | Also known as the General Cemetery of All Souls. The oldest of the Magnificent Seven and still in operation. | Yes |
Nunhead Cemetery | 1840 | London Borough of Southwark | SE15 | 49 | (270,000) | Yes | Also known as "Cemetery of all Saints" | Yes |
Tower Hamlets Cemetery | 1841 | London Borough of Tower Hamlets | E3 | 33 | (350,000) | Yes | Also known as Bow Cemetery. Closed in 1966 | Yes |
West Norwood Cemetery | 1837 | London Borough of Lambeth | SE27 | 39.5 | 42,000+ (200,000) | CF | Originally known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery. The first cemetery in the world designed in the Gothic Revival style | Yes |
Abbreviations used in the column closed
- C = Still used for cremations
- F = Burial in family plots is still possible
Gallery
edit-
Abney Park Cemetery
Main Gate -
Brompton Cemetery
Main Gate -
Highgate Cemetery
Main Gate -
Nunhead Cemetery
Main Gate -
West Norwood Cemetery
Main Gate
Jewish cemeteries
editThere are many Jewish cemeteries in London; they are not included here but some of them are listed at Jewish cemeteries in the London area.
Roman Catholic cemeteries
editName | Date opened | Location | Postal area | Area acres[1] | Closed | Notes | Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery | 1858 | London Borough of Brent | NW10 | 30 | No | Next to Kensal Green Cemetery and the West London Crematorium | Yes |
St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery | 1861 | London Borough of Waltham Forest | E11 | No | – |
General cemeteries
edit- No! = Cemetery is approaching capacity
Other burial grounds
editName | Notes |
---|---|
Huguenot Burial Ground | Now a public park and no longer regarded as a cemetery. Part of the Huguenot history of Wandsworth. |
Moravian Burial Ground | Not a traditional cemetery. |
Royal Hospital Chelsea Burial Ground | Part of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Many monuments for Chelsea pensioners. |
Royal Hospital Greenwich Cemetery | Part of the Royal Naval Hospital; in 1847 East Greenwich Pleasaunce was opened as the hospital's graveyard, with remains being disinterred from the original Hospital graveyard in 1875 to allow for railway construction. The graveyard is now a public park. |
St Paul's Cathedral | Burials and memorials are not considered a "regular" cemetery. |
Westminster Abbey | As a Royal Peculiar it is not considered a "regular" cemetery. |
Crematoria
editFormer cemeteries
editMany of these cemeteries were former graveyards and carry the name of the church they belonged to.
Name of the cemetery | Period in service | Location | Postal area | Remains moved to | M* | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cross Bones Graveyard | ????–1853 | Redcross Way | SE1 | M | Also known as the Halloween Graveyard | |
Enon Chapel | 1823–1842 | St. Clement's Lane | WC2 | West Norwood Cemetery | D | Later renamed Clare Market Chapel |
St Benet Gracechurch | 1181–1868 | Gracechurch Street | EC3M | City of London Cemetery and Crematorium | M | Also known as Grass Church |
St James' Gardens[3] | 1788–1853 | Euston Station | NW1 2RT | Excavated remains have been moved to multiple locations | D | Grave of Captain Matthew Flinders discovered.[4] |
M*, if a memorial or something similar was erected to commemorate the former burial ground or cemetery
- ? = Unknown
- D = Disappeared
- M = Memorial in the relocation site
- P = Memorial plaque near or on the former site
See also
editFurther reading
edit- Beach, Darren. London's Cemeteries (2006), Metro Guides, 231p, ISBN 978-1-902910-23-9.
- Meller, Hugh & Brian Parsons. London Cemeteries: an illustrated guide and gazetteer (2008), Fourth Edition, The History Press, 416p, ISBN 978-0-7509-4622-3.
- London County Council, London Statistics Volume 24 1913-14, London County Council (1915), pp. 208–211
External links
edit- London's Victorian Garden Cemeteries, written by Catherine Richards, with photographs by Sue Bailey
- Paul Talling's website, showing the dereliction of cemeteries in London
- Jewish Cemeteries in London on the IAJGS website
- Silent Cities Cemetery photography by Jeane Trend-Hill, showing the cemeteries of London
References
edit- ^ a b c London Statistics Volume 24. London: London County Council. 1915. pp. 208–11.
- ^ "History and the board". Mortlake Crematorium. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ London Cemeteries. "St. James' Gardens". Sue Bailey. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ Esther Addley, Archaeology (24 January 2019). "Grave of explorer Matthew Flinders unearthed near London station". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2019.