Highgate Cemetery, London

Advantages: Full of history. Spooky. The grave of Karl Marx
Disadvantages: Entrance Fee

...you happen to be in Highgate if you are asked directions to a cemetery.For located at the top of Highgate Hill is a spooky,atmospheric cemetery that houses the grave of Karl Marx,and a lot of other very famous people.Marx's grave is a place of pilgrimage for folks from all round the world,particularly those of a left wing political persuasion. Unsurprisingly this famous burial ground gets visitors from all over the world. London's Highgate Cemetery ...
...costs one pound to enter. Highgate cemetery was founded in in 1839 as an alternative to the pretty dreadful conditions then existing in London's graveyards. The Eastern cemetery was added in 1854. At such places there was grave over-crowding, grave-robbing,especially by medical students in search of cadavers and even body-snatching. The cemetery was initially conceived of as something of a sylvan retreat. It is very easy to find Marx's grave. The ... Read review

Advantages: Tranquility, atmosphere
Disadvantages: No facilities

...strange when I say that Highgate Cemetery is an afternoon out worth doing. After all it is just a graveyard isn't it?! The cemetery was opened in 1839 and currently has over 150,000 people buried in over 50,000 graves. It is divided into two parts - the older West Cemetery and the newer East cemetery. In its Victorian heyday up to 29 gardeners were employed to keep the grounds neat. However, as it filled up and the money dried up the cemetery became ...
...of Highgate Cemetery became involved and as volunteers, preserved the cemetery and opened it for visitors. Their policy is not one of restoration but of preservation and conservation or, as my guide told me, "managed neglect"! Tours run during the week at 2pm and at weekends on the hour from 10-4pm in the summer and up to 3pm in the winter and cost £5.00. It is worth getting there up to 30 minutes in advance at peak times as they will only take ... Read review

Advantages: Knowledgeable guides
Disadvantages: no toilets

...a great trip out, but Highgate is as much a part of London's history as the Tower. Hard to find it may be, no sign posts, but check up in your A to Z before you go. The East side is such a nice place, most people would say "oo why go round looking at dead people?" it is about more than that. There are some wonderful structures here from the magnificent angel statues, to amazingly designed mousolea. A small entry charge for the East side (£2) is well ...
...West side, only viewable as part of a guided tour (health and safety reason apparently). This is well worth the £5 charge, our guide looked like a cross between a goth and a hippie, but he was remarkable knowledgeable. He talked at length (and speed amazingly) about everything from the creation of the cemetery to the modern day. We took in most places on the tour (the Rosetti grave is inaccessable at the moment) plus a few more which wouldn't normally ... Read review

Advantages: Karl Marx Tomb
Disadvantages: run by crabby old women, entrance too expensive

...of students and tourists visit Highgate Cemetary to visit the tomb of Carl Marx. Altho travelling to Highgate itself is a pretty journey by bus, and easy by tube ( take the norhtern line to Archway station and then grab a bus or walk up the hill), I think it is overated. On a recent stroll to Highgate Cemetary we were greeted by an old crumudgeon who insisted on charging us a few pounds to get in and then was nasty ( in that posh way) and curt with ...
...stone, and some nice wild flora. But I think even the most ardent Goth would be dissappointed. So if you do visit Highgate Cemetary, make sure you pop over to Hampstead Heath, or Waterlow Park as well, as those are both in the same area and far far more interesting. ... Read review

Advantages: Beautiful scenery, easy access, near tube, 1 mile from City.
Disadvantages: Muddy in winter, scary if visitor is of nervous disposition.

...Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is a wonderful green space hidden among the flats and tower blocks of London's East End. It is only a mile from the City of London, yet contains a huge variety of plant, bird and insect life. Formerly a working cemetery, it was laid out in 1841 after an act of parliament which closed the inner city churchyard cemeteries because they were completely full. And I mean they were stuffed. There are stories of people going to bury relatives, only to find when they got there that the grave diggers were stamping down on the previous occupants to make room for the new bodies. Yeuch!!!! So 7 new cemeteries were opened around London, Abney Park, Nunhead, Highgate, Kensal Green, Brompton, West Norwood and finally Tower Hamlets. Originally 27 acres, the land was divided into consecrated and unconsecrated ground... Read review

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