Sunday 6 April 2014

Highgate Cemetery



Highgate Cemetery is in North London. It opened in 1839 as part of a plan to establish 7 large cemeteries in the suburbs of London. Prior to this burials took place in small churchyards and were becoming overcrowded. There are two parts to this cemetery, known as the  East and West with over 175,000 people buried in approx 53,000 graves.





The cemetery is famous not just for the people buried there but also as a nature reserve. Entry to the West cemetery which is the oldest part  is by guided tour only. However for a small fee (£4) the public can wander around the East cemetery which is where these photos were all taken.




There is a cultivated wildness to the cemetery. The trees, shrubs and wild flowers add to the beauty and serenity of the grounds. Here are some of the more famous graves that can be seen in the East cemetery:

The family grave of Karl Marx (philosopher and socialist) 1814-81















Philip Gould (1950-2011)  Labour Peer and political advisor










Anna Mahler (sculptor and daughter of the composer Gustav Mahler)






Jim Horn (1976-2010) 'Avid reader but not a partner in the firm'









Douglas Adams (Author of The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy)







Harry Thornton (1883-1918) Pianist














Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010) Rock artist, clothes designer and original manager of The Sex Pistols











Jeremy Beadle (1948-2008) TV presenter and writer








Patrick Caulfield (1936-2005) Pop artist












Richard Smith (1836-1900) Miller who patented Hovis high wheatgerm flour process


George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans — the name on the grave is Mary Ann Cross) novelist




Our World Tuesday Graphic


31 comments:

  1. What an interesting cemetery!.....and beautiful pictures. I had a look at your bucket list! Makes me think I should make one. I am also amazed by your travels. Wow!

    Thanks for the visit. I hope that you will come again...Janey

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  2. It's on my list for next fall. I think I'll bring a pen for Douglas Adams. :-)

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  3. Oops. There were a few seconds wondering why there was a grave for Malcolm McLaren. That's right, he did die. Slipped my mind.

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  4. I think I could spend a lot of time there taking photos! I love all the pens on Douglas Adams' grave!

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  5. That is one place which is high on my list of places to visit. Thanks for the quick tour, now I know what to look for

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  6. There are a lot of famous people lying there. I like that to wander on a graveyard like this.

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  7. Death is a part of our lives but I think that resting in that beautiful place is nice especially close to nature.

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  8. Lots of famous names there. Interesting set of images.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  9. Very interesting! I've never seen such a place, so thank you for taking me along with your wonderful pictures. :-)

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  10. What a beautiful and interesting cemetary ! I didn't know that Karl Marx was buried in London.

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  11. What an amazing place. The gravestones are so touching and the colours at this time of year look beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Fascinating post. Interesting to see some of the people who were buried there and also that beautiful natural growth.

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  13. An amazing place indeed and what terrific captures for the day!! So very interesting and touching!! Thanks for the history and the photos!! Have a great week!

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  14. Wonderful -- so much history -- and such wonderful variety of stones and memorials. I actually really like that modern artist one with the sculpted design DEAD done well... nothing ambiguous there.

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  15. Nice! Everything looks so green, it is really a cool looking graveyard.

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  16. Very interesting post and fascinating to see the graves of so many famous people. Very nice to see the "wildness" rather than just lawns.

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  17. Great post love your detail.. Looks like we had "similar" ides LOL

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  18. Fascinating shots of an intriquing historical for OWT ~ xoxo

    artmusedog and carol (a creative harbor)

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  19. Wow, I am just amazed at all the different shapes and sculptures at the cemetery..So many famous people too! It is lovely. Thanks for sharing, have a happy week!

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  20. Oh my goodness … this cemetery is a true Who’s Who registry in the land of the dead. The creativity and individuality of the headstones added amazing interest to the site.

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  21. Dearest Fun60;
    Oh My; "Highgate Cemetery"!!! So intriguing to see grave stone with book, piano shape etc for the famous people♪ Thank you SO much sharing, wishing you to have a happy week ahead, my friend in England.
    Sending you Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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  22. What a fascinating glimpse at all the creative types of graves!

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  23. I could spend hours at the cemetery...a magical place!

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  24. There are some wonderful, very creative and even humerous memorials there. I love the "Penguin".

    Cemeterys can be brilliant for wildlife but I always feel a little self conscious walking around them wearing binoculars, as if intruding on visitors' privacy.

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  25. Oh i love the very creative and different styles for the tombstones! Now i realized that i haven't seen any cemetery in countries i've visited. I should try to do that next time. Ah i have seen one and that is in Fujian, China just because the Chinese family i've been with visited their ancestors grave!

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  26. Some beautiful headstones there!

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  27. Wow, there's lots of famous people here and the headstones are gorgeous. Love the piano one. Nice captures.

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  28. Great photos and post! Hope Douglas adams didnt forget his towel!

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  29. hm, there are some interesting headstones. Nice artwork. :)

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  30. What a fascinating cemetery. The funniest was the one with the cutout letters spelling DEAD.

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