In May, the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery kindly invited me to join them on a guided tour of Highate Cemetery.
Like West Norwood, Highate is one of London’s seven great Victorian cemeteries. In just under 200 years, as well as places of burial and cremation, they have become sizeable and important natural habitats in an expanding metropolis.
Woodland and ‘managed decay’ has replaced pristine lawns and marbled tombs.
Our excellent guide Peter explained that in its day, Highate Cemetery would have been a scene of flower gardens, lawns and white marble in ostentatious display. The woodland which has grown up in the past 200 years is now in a state of ‘managed decay’. A team of professional gardeners and volunteers conduct a continuing battle against brambles and ivy, balancing history and ecology. Ash trees and ash tree die back are a particular problem. There is a longer term plan to clear a path through the woodland at the highest point, to recover a magnificent view over London.
The graves Peter highlighted in the West Cemetery included the scientist Michael Faraday, the father of British electromagnetism, the singer George Michael, the Victorian celebrity and bare knuckle boxer Tom Sayers and the ‘fastest knife in the west’ Robert Liston, who introduced anesthesia into surgical practice in Britain. He also pointed to the cemetery’s many unmarked graves, including that of a 14-year old girl who, like a dozen others all in the same grave, had been a sex worker following a series of family misfortunes.
West Norwood Cemetery has a flattish terrain, unlike Highate’s steep slopes. It too is a haven for wild life and wild flowers. The Friends run a programme of tours throughout the year, including ones with a focus on wild flowers and bats. Check their Eventbrite page for further details.