Lately I have found that I have a facination for cemeteries. Why, you may ask. Cemeteries are often beautiful and serene places where you can stroll around and take a breather. One such place is London’s Highgate Cemetery.
If you are planning on visiting Highgate, it’s good to know that there are two cemeteries next to one another. Highgate East and West. Both are worth a visit but do note that West can only be visited via pre-booked tours. This post will concentrate on East Cemetery.
As I had arrived in London that very morning, I thought it would be a good idea to have lunch before visiting the cemetery. The pub I had planned to go to was nearer to the Highgate tube station than Archway, that’s where I navigated.
I strolled along in the Spring sunshine.
There it is – The Red Lion & Sun!
It was a tad too nippy to sit outside.
I decided to treat myself to an authentic fish ‘n chips. Do note that this was their smaller portion – I hate to think wha the normal portion looks like!
After my very filling lunch, I wandered along to Highgate. Do check out their website for information on how to find them and for the prices. It is very informative and helped me a lot with planning my visit.
I was greeted with a bit of Spring rain and of course my umbrella was at the hotel. Thankfully the ticket booth had some to borrow. I guess it’s best to always carry an umbrella with you in London.
The East Cemetery was opened in 1860, so it is actually newer than the West side.
It is now owned by the Friends of Highgate Cemetery.
Burials still take place and the cemetery caters to the needs of Northern London.
As I walked around, I saw a funeral in progress but as I wanted to be discreet, I didn’t take any photos.
What I love about Highgate is that nature is allowed to run a bit wild.
At times, it’s neat and trimmed.
But then, you see that nature has it’s own ideas.
Highgate is a Victorian cemetery.
Highgate has it’s own ghost of course. A mad old lady who wanders the paths looking for her murdered children. Yikes!
The reason many visit is the grave of Karl Marx. It used to be on a side path but in 1955 this huge bust was installed.
Everywhere you look, there is some detail which will catch your eye.
The grave below had the text “Do not grieve, we are all pilgrims, on a journey towards the same destination” but it is covered by the flowers.
Harry Thorton’s piano. He was a classical pianist who played for the troops in WWI. The text on the side is from Madame Butterfly – “Sweet thou art sleeping; cradled on my heart; safe in god’s keeping; while I must weep apart.” Beautiful.
A grave with Chinese text.
This interesting grave below is that of Patrick Caulfield. He was an artist. Apparently this kind of gravestone hasn’t been seen anywhere else. It is kind of macabre – the letters spell out DEAD. The artist designed the tombstone himself.
The flowers were beautiful in early May.
I could’ve walked these paths for hours but I had to leave for the start of the Highgate West tour. That will have to be another post as this one is too long as it is!
I will leave you to wonder what the story behind this grave is. It looks like a loyal guard dog guarding his master’s grave.
Have you been to Highgate? Do you have another cemetery somewhere in the world you have found fascinating? Let me know in the comments below.
xx
The Life and Travels of Mrs Suvi 
I love cemeteries!
I’ve taken the Hollywood Forever cemetery tour, which is interesting for who is buried/interred there and some of the mausoleums and headstones but otherwise dull as it’s just a point & look tour. But the annual Halloween cemetery tour is FANTASTIC – they have about 10 different stops (changes each year) with an actor dressed in costume and telling the life (and death) story of the person… lots of interesting history.
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Oh my, a Halloween cemetery tour sounds so interesting! I’ve never heard of something like that, I’d love to take part one day.
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Oh how interesting! I had visited the famous one in Paris (I forget the name now) and I must say, some of the tombstones are..hmm..”creative”. I like the one with the piano 🙂
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Oh yes, it’s nice to see creative tomb stones too. The one in Paris sounds facinating!
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how beautiful Suvi, i love wandering through Historic cemetaries . these captures are stunning. . i must ask my dear friend Fragglerocking , to make sure she takes me there, when ever it is i get to jump that big old pond. thank you for sharing
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Oh yes, you must make a visit to Highgate – imagine the photos you’d get to take there – amazing 🙂
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A splendid tour of Highgate Cemetery Suvi, a place I have still to visit. In the north of England we have visited a famous cemetery called Undercliffe where many wealthy woollen mill owners are buried. There are some huge statues and gravestones as each wool merchant it is said tried to outdo the others with his gravestone!
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Wow Undercliffe sounds like somewhere I’d love to visit too. I regret not managing a cemetery in Paris the last time I was in the city. Have you been?
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No, I haven’t been to a cemetery in Paris but have visited the war graves in Normandy which was very moving.
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What a beautiful cemetery! I have always liked cemeteries, as a child I liked to walk in cemeteries and I still like. So peaceful, full of stories.
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Hi Kristiina! I don’t know why your comment was in my spam folder but now I’m approving it 🙂 You are right, cemeteries are so full of stories. Imagine knowing them all..
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Suvi, I wrote to Support and now this is working, I hope. I don’t understand this.
Kristiina
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Good to hear your comments are showing up on other people’s blogs too! That was an annoying bug 😦
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It is still here, I got comments today that my comments are still in spam.
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Waaah!!
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My comments are in wrong places,
anteeksi.
Kristiina
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