|
London’s Magnificent Seven Cemeteries
Can you imagine such
a rise in population growth that there was no place
to bury the dead? Just think about what would happen?
Think about what actually did happen. Back in the 1800s
London’s population increased by over a million
people in just fifty short years.
There truly was a lack of burial space.
As a result, there were instances of body snatching,
bodies left out to rot or not buried deep enough and
bodies cleared from graves too soon. As churchyard cemeteries
became overcrowded massive sanitary problems ensued.
Not a pretty sight, is it?
Because there was no room at the inns,
churchyard cemeteries had to prohibit additional burials.
There was simply no more space available to bury the
deceased. The solution? Starting in the 1820s, the "garden
cemetery" movement began. Forward thinking entrepreneurs
solved the problem by creating suburban cemeteries,
autonomous of the parish church. These new garden cemeteries
were spacious with beautifully landscaped acreage.
When these large garden cemeteries were
first established, there were no existing outstretched
urban parks, therefore these new cemeteries became popular
places for talking walks or carriage rides. Then in
1832 Parliament passed a bill encouraging the formation
of seven private cemeteries in a ring around outer London.
The seven cemeteries, now well known as the “Magnificent
Seven”, were built to accommodate the growth of
London and also to ease the indignity of overcrowded
graveyards in the city.
At that time, a newly emerging middle
class was coming into age. The Magnificent Seven appealed
this group who were eager to distance themselves from
the working class and to present to the public its social
status.
You see, burial sites were seen as a
public extension to the family's assets. Cemeteries
provided a place for families to establish permanent
monuments to themselves. However, many of the Magnificent
Seven, previously considered elite, are now just overgrown
stone junkyards. It’s no surprise that creating
balance between conservation, preservation and restoration
is an issue that taxes most of the nation's cemetery
groups.
Nonetheless, there still exist some
relatively undisturbed pockets of many cemeteries which
have allowed the development of unique natural habitats.
Cemeteries are now recognized as havens for gorgeous
plants and flowers. Further many cemetery groups operate
conservation schemes.
If you’d like to pay a visit to
any of the Magnificent Seven, get out your tour guide
and visit: Kensal Green, West Norwood, Highgate Cemetery,
Nunhead, Brompton, Abney Park, and Tower Hamlets.
1howto.com
--------------------------------------------------
Please
Share Your Tips with Us
|
