Jungle Necropolis

I spent a few hours yesterday afternoon with my friend Esther. We explored one of London's hidden treasures, a Victorian cemetery and one of the Magnificent Seven.

Nunhead Cemetery is located in the Nunhead area of southern London and was originally known as All Saints' Cemetery. The cemetery was consecrated in 1840 and opened by the London Necropolis Company.  The first grave was dug in October 1840 with the burial of a 101 year old Ipswich grocer named Charles Abbott. By the middle of the 20th century the cemetery was nearly full, and so was abandoned. With the ensuing neglect, the cemetery gradually changed from lawn to meadow and eventually to woodland. It is now listed as a Local Nature Reserve.

Nunhead Cemetery circa 1855

Nunhead Cemetery was reopened in May 2001 after an extensive restoration project funded by Southwark Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Fifty memorials were restored along with the Anglican Chapel, designed by Thomas Little. The Victorian part of the cemetery is currently in a poor state of repair, being best described as an elegant wilderness. Large parts of the cemetery are overgrown with vines, trees and shrubs. Nunhead cemetery occupies about 52 acres.

I found the walk around the cemetery relaxing and peaceful, and at times it got me thinking about my own mortality and the pros and cons between having a traditional burial or cremation. The time spent exploring the cemetery was an enjoyable one and I will definitely be visiting again.

Location:

The main gate (the North Gate) is located on Linden Grove and the South Gate is located on Limesford Road. The cemetery is in the London Borough of Southwark, SE15.

Click here to view more Nunhead Cemetery photos.