London: hmmmmmm.... what to do? been here many times and seen so many things.... let's check out ANOTHER cemetery! Actually, my mom and i have a "thing" for any ancient cemetery. they can be creepy, yes, but i find them extraordinarily beautiful too. we decided to hoof it out to hampstead heath to one of the oldest victorian cemeteries called "highgate cemetery" it is a good 30 minute bus ride and then a little hike, plus you have to go when they are offering tours... only took us 2 tries to get it right. :)
the tour was very informative: i learned that London became industrialized much earlier than many other cities with the population swarming into the city... there became a large demand for places to bury the dead. there were no cemeteries in the city and people were traditionally buried beneath churches where with the increase in bodies, fumes began to fill the churches and made people sick
cemeteries were not allowed within the city so around the edge of London, many cemeteries sprang up. highgate is one of the first
victorians liked to bury their dead in the ground rather than putting them in crypts above ground. they chose decorations from a catalogue, it was quite a big business
a rare example of a crypt
common victorian decoration: upside down torch still burning
church above the cemetery, many victorians visited the cemetery weekly after church services
angels were a common decoration, most were picked from a catalogue but this is a custom made sleeping angel
snake chasing it's tail
i would recommend this cemetery if you could only see one in London, it is very special!
