Highgate East Cemetery is the latter of the two sections of the most famous of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ burial grounds. The popularity of the initial 17 acres on the western side led to a further 19 acres being purchased in 1854 to form the eastern part of the cemetery, this opened in 1860. The eastern part of Highgate was designed to allow for a higher density of burials and a somewhat less picturesque layout, leaving the western cemetery as the more prestigious burial ground. The two cemeteries divided by Swan’s Lane. When the East Cemetery was purchased significant changes were made to the Tudor Gothic symmetrical mortuary chapels on the west side. The Anglican Chapel was doubled in size and a hydraulic lift was installed which lowered coffins into the crypt below so they could be taken to the east side in a tunnel under the road, this being in a requirement of the founding Act of Parliament! One of the most famous burials is that of Karl Marx, which was bombed on two occasions, first in 1965 and again in 1970. There is a section known as Fireman’s Corner which was established in 1934 and is the burial site of 97 London firefighters. Other notable burials include Douglas Adams, the author of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Mary Ann Evans (the real name of the write George Eliot), and the musician Bert Jansch. Also buried are Claudia Jones, Trinidadian born communist and fighter for civil rights, founder of The West Indian Gazette and the Notting Hill Carnival, Malcolm McLaren, fashion designer and manager of the Sex Pistols and the TV Personality Jeremy Beadle! As I said on the article on Highgate West I highly recommend a visit to Highgate Cemetery if visiting London, it’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city and a lovely area to spend a few hours with Highgate itself being a lovely spot to get lunch or a drink after your wanderings.

GPS: 51.56683, -0.14641