5 July 2010
Wander in Abney Park Cemetery
Originally an area of parkland laid out by Lady Mary Abney during the 18th Century, and the former home of Dr Isaac Watts, the ‘father of hymnology’, and a novel Quaker school for girls, it wasn't until the mid 19th century that Abney Park became a cemetery.
It was decided to make the space into a garden cemetery to alleviate overcrowding in central London graveyards, and the space is notable because the grounds were unconsecrated and non-denominational, leading to a number of burials of nonconformists.
It is a huge space, covering 32 acres of space, surrounded on all sides by fairly built-up areas, and there is a real feeling of wilderness in some parts, where small paths pick their way between tumble-down tombs.
Abney Park is open to the public daily. For more, see http://www.abney-park.org.uk/
It was decided to make the space into a garden cemetery to alleviate overcrowding in central London graveyards, and the space is notable because the grounds were unconsecrated and non-denominational, leading to a number of burials of nonconformists.
It is a huge space, covering 32 acres of space, surrounded on all sides by fairly built-up areas, and there is a real feeling of wilderness in some parts, where small paths pick their way between tumble-down tombs.
Abney Park is open to the public daily. For more, see http://www.abney-park.org.uk/
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I love the great cemeteries of London, but I've not actually made it to this one yet. It certainly looks a little more wild than Brompton and Kensal Green...
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely spot, spoiled only slightly by the sight of lots of condom wrappers in one area.
ReplyDeleteApparently the area plays some sort of role in the mating ritual of the lesser spotted teenage goth...
I love the idea of grounds being unconsecrated and non-denominational, leading to a number of burials of nonconformists. Who knows, you might even get Jews, Buddhists and Muslims burying their parents in a beautiful spot :)
ReplyDeleteBut who administered the place?
It's a even greater place now!
ReplyDelete