West Highgate Cemetery Tour

December 12, 2009 at 2:07 pm | Posted in General, London, Out and About, Tourism, Travel, UK | Leave a comment
Tags: burial, Cemetery, grave, Highgate Cemetery, London, Tourism, Travel, UK, West Highgate Cemetery

London’s Highgate Cemetery is split into West and East sides. The Western side has a dedicated group of volunteers organising and running tours. A tour is basically the only way for most people to access the western side whereas maps and general (paid) access is available for the eastern half.

It’s advisable to pre-book. They advise that you get there 10-15 minutes beforehand and at least when I visited they were quite prompt and if people hadn’t turned up they offered their spaces to whoever was waiting.

The tour takes about an hour and you and the group wander around with the guide who’ll point out some notable graves and cemetery design elements such as the Egyptian themed area.

The cemetery is in organised disrepair because individual graves’ ownership does not revert to the public for decades. It provides a stark contrast to Brompton cemetery’s clean cut look.

The tour is £7 and provides an opportunity to look around one of London’s magnificent cemeteries. The guide was enthusiastic and answered everyone’s questions.

If you’re interested in the development of burial practices, 19th century design and slightly different tourist attraction then this is the place for you.

More Highgate cemetery photos at Flickr.

More Brompton cemetery photos at Flickr.