10 Highlights Of Highgate Cemetery

Highgate Cemetery is one of the most fascinating places in London. It is one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries, Victorian Necropolises set up on what was then the outskirts of London in the face of a surging population. 

There is so much to see, so I have identified my top ten highlights for you. But, first a quick history of the cemetery.

Origins

In the first half of the 19th century the population of London rose from around 1 million in 1800 to 2 million in 1840. By this time the inner-city burial grounds and churchyards were fit to burst. This was due, in part, to cholera and typhoid outbreaks, so the city authorities shut all inner-city churchyards to new burials. 

Private enterprise then stepped in to help solve the issue of where to bury people. These companies set up large new cemeteries on the fringes of London for people of all denominations. 

It was the London Cemetery Company that set up Highgate cemetery in 1839, following on from Kensal rise in 1833 and West Norwood in 1837.

The other four ‘Magnificent Seven’, as they became known, are Abney Park, Brompton, Nunhead and Tower Hamlets. 

You can see their locations below:

‘The Great Garden of Death’

The idea was, of course, to make as much money as possible so they aimed to tempt customers with the splendour of their architectural features and beautiful landscaping: a ‘great garden of death’. 

In 1860 Highgate Cemetery opened an extension, known today as the East Cemetery with the West Cemetery being the original, older part. 

It is thought around 170,000 people are buried at Highgate in total and they still accept new burials today. 

The company ended up collapsing into financial ruin and today the cemetery is managed by a charity called the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust. In parts nature is reclaiming the space giving it a wonderful atmosphere of romantic decay and faded grandeur. 

Highgate Cemetery Highlights

When I visited I first looked around the West Cemetery before exploring the East, so that is roughly how I have ordered the below.

1. The Egyptian Avenue

After walking up the hill in the West Cemetery, you will come across the grand entrance to the Egyptian Avenue. The design was inspired by the Victorian fashion for Egyptology that was prevalent at the time due to writers, artists and archaeologists increasingly travelling to the country.

The atmospheric walkway, that was once totally covered, has 8 vaults on either side, each holding up to 12 coffins.

2. The Circle of Lebanon

You emerge from the dim light of the Egyptian Avenue into the Circle of Lebanon: a magnificent double ring of mausoleums and tombs.

It was named after a Cedar of Lebanon tree that once stood proudly in the centre but sadly had to be cut down in 2019.

3. The Mausoleum of Julius Beer

There are many impressive mausoleums in both the cemetery but none more so than that of Julius Beer (1836-1880).

Beer was German-born financier who made his fortune on the London Stock Exchange. In 1870 he purchased the Observer newspaper which he owned until he died in 1880.

He had the mausoleum constructed after his daughter Ada died aged 8.

4. Man’s Best Friend

Not far from the Beer mausoleum you will find this tomb, one of the most touching in the whole cemetery.

It is the tomb of Thomas Sayers (1826-1865): a famous Victorian sporting legend. He was Britain’s final bare-knuckle boxing champion before the Queensbury rules were introduced in 1867.

His tomb is guarded loyally by a sculpture of his dog: a mastiff called Lion (although Lion is not buried with him).

Sayers’ burial here, attended by Lion, who apparently behaved very well, was attended by around 10,000 fans, the largest funeral the cemetery has ever seen.

5. The Lion Grave

Whilst we are on the subject of tombs with animals on, you will also find this one to George Wombwell (1777-1850).

Wombwell became famous as the owner of three large travelling animal shows. In 1810 he formed Wombwell’s Travelling Menagerie, which included elephants, a gorilla, giraffes, leopards and lions amongst many others.

He is also thought to have bred the first lion in Britain in captivity. He named it William after William Wallace.

The sleeping lion atop his tomb is thought to represent one of his lions called Nero.

His grandson Frank Bostok is buried at Abney Park and also has a lion on top of his grave.

6. The Horse Grave

One final animal on a grave to find is this one.

It is the tomb of the family of John Atcheler (1792-1867). He was a well-known horse slaughterer and in fact claimed to be ‘horse slaughterer to Her Majesty Queen Victoria’ although this claim is contested.

7. Famous Graves

There are many famous people buried in both the West and East cemeteries, including George Michael and George Eliot, buried under her birth name Mary Ann Evans.

In the West cemetery you will also find the grave of scientist Michael Faraday (1791-1867), best known for his discoveries in electricity and electromagnetism.

In the East cemetery you will find the grave of Karl Marx (1818-1883), as he died a political exile in London.

He was originally buried with his wife, at a plot nearby, before this huge bust and new tomb was unveiled in 1956 funded by the Communist Party of Great Britain.

Also near the entrance to the East cemetery you will find the grave of Douglas Adams (1952-2001), the author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

8. The World War One Pianist

In the East cemetery you will find the grave of Harry Thornton (1883-1918).

As you can see it is in the form of a grand classical piano. He was a classical pianist who is known for having played to the troops during World War One. It is thought he died during the Spanish flu epidemic following the war.

9. Sisyphus

Not too far from Karl Marx’s original tomb you will find this sculpture of Sisyphus.

There are lots of amazing sculptural works in the cemeteries but this is probably my favourite. Sisyphus was the mythological Greek figure, who cheated death and therefore was punished by the gods to infinitely roll a boulder up a hill.

It is not clear whose grave it is attached to.

10. Modern grave

Finally, in the East Cemetery you will find a rather more modern grave.

This is the tomb of printmaker and painter Patrick Caulfield (1936-2005). He designed the tombstone himself before he died and as you can see it simply spells out the word ‘DEAD’.

How To Visit

From March-October the cemetery is open from 10am-5pm and until 4pm the rest of the year.

To see both sides of the cemetery entry is currently £10 per person for adults. The East cemetery on its own is £4.50 going up to £6 on the 1st November 2023. I would definitely recommend visiting both.

You can also book tours which includes access to both sides of the cemetery.

Find out more on their website here. As I mentioned above the cemetery is run by a charity and all the money goes into maintaining and keeping this historic spot open for visitors.

Thank you for reading! You can read about more of London’s fascinating history below.