Table of contents:
- Highgate
- West Norwood
- Crossbones cemetery
- Brompton cemetery
- Abny Park
- Kensal Green
- Pet Sematary in Hyde Park
Video: London's atmospheric cemetery guide: Kings, showbiz stars and magnificent monuments
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Old cemeteries in London are not only a resting place, but also magnificent parks and unique architecture. Some appeared in the capital of Great Britain during the Middle Ages, others became a symbol of the Victorian era, and still others were created in honor of pets. People come to London cemeteries to remember their ancestors, visit the graves of famous writers and poets, and sometimes just relax with their family by arranging a photo session.
Highgate
This is probably one of the most famous cemeteries, opened as part of the "Magnificent Seven" - seven park cemeteries, the purpose of which was to move burials outside the city. The Victorian cemetery, the final resting place for Karl Marx, Ellen Wood, Herbert Spencer, Douglas Adams, science fiction author, James Holman, the famous 19th century adventurer, and many other famous personalities.
Here the tombs were created in the best Gothic traditions, and the lack of maintenance of the cemetery during the Second World War, overgrown trees and ivy entwined with many monuments made this place look quite eerie. Highgate became a filming location for horror films, sparking an interest in old graves. More and more often, news of looted graves began to appear in the news, and then they began to find dug burials with an aspen stake stuck in a coffin. In 1970, two magicians decided to fight in a duel right in the cemetery. The winner was to be the first to find and neutralize the vampire. True, the duel did not take place due to the arrest and accusation of one of the magicians of vandalism.
Highgate is still a very attractive place for occult enthusiasts, vampire hunters and paranormal enthusiasts today.
READ ALSO: Highgate - a cemetery in London, where the spirit of the Victorian era still reigns >>
West Norwood
According to the architect's idea, the West Norwood Cemetery was located directly in the Northern Forest, in which at that time there were still very few trees. Currently, the cemetery has gained fame as the most interesting and historically significant cemetery in Europe.
West Norwood is listed on the National Register of Historic Parks and English Heritage Gardens. During the Second World War, as a result of the bombing, the Dissent chapel was destroyed and many buildings and monuments were damaged. Restoration work on their restoration continues today.
Crossbones cemetery
The medieval cemetery became the burial place of prostitutes and later homeless citizens found on the streets. In puritanical medieval London, it was believed that there could be no place for fallen women among decent people even after death, and therefore a vacant lot was allocated for them, which quickly expanded, since the mortality among "single ladies", as prostitutes were then called, was very high.
Today, a whole art space has been created at the cemetery, where events and exhibitions are held, and many representatives of the ancient profession consider the cemetery almost a memorial in their honor.
READ ALSO: Lonely Ladies Cemetery: The Non-Puritan Mysteries of London Attraction Long Closed to Tourists >>
Brompton cemetery
The Sixth Cemetery of The Magnificent Seven is best known as a source of inspiration for English children's writer Beatrix Potter. Walking along the cemetery alleys, she chose names for her heroes. Here she saw the graves of Peter Rabbett, Nutkins and McGregor.
Brompton Cemetery is one of the most beautiful places in London. There are many picturesque alleys and neatly trimmed shrubs, monuments amaze with their exquisite beauty, and the church, like a twin brother, is similar to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Some episodes of the film about Sherlock Holmes were also filmed here.
Abny Park
Another cemetery, part of the Magnificent Seven, is interesting for its combination of lush vegetation and historical monuments. It was conceived as an experiment in mixing the natural delights of the arboretum with non-confessional burials. The graves here were located right in the middle of lush vegetation and were not divided according to confessions.
Burials are currently prohibited here, and the cemetery itself is managed by the Abney Park Trust and is a local nature reserve.
Kensal Green
This cemetery is the most famous and honorable. It is here that members of the royal family are buried, and many very famous personalities. Tombstones of representatives of royal families and wealthy aristocrats are striking in their grandeur and pomp. During the First World War, the graves became much more modest, and during the Second World War, the cemetery was damaged by bombing.
In the 1960s, it was significantly overgrown and very unpresentable. However, in recent years, part of the cemetery has been cleared of disorderly vegetation, the monuments have been reconstructed, both chapels, Anglican and non-conformist, have been almost restored, and the cemetery itself is still open for burial today, although cells for urns with ashes are being sold. The North Terrace with a beautiful colonnade and catacombs is especially popular among visitors.
Pet Sematary in Hyde Park
During the Victorian era, Hyde Park was home to an amazing pet cemetery. Until now, small gravestones keep touching inscriptions filled with love and longing for pets. Cats, dogs, one monkey and several birds rest here - about 300 burials in total. Now the cemetery is considered a closed area, and you can visit it only by agreeing in advance about an organized excursion.
For many people, cemeteries are a symbol of sadness and grief for departed relatives. It is also a place for contemplation and appreciation of life. And some of the visitors may even find something beautiful here. Moreover, there is one where you can touch eternity.
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