St Georges Church & Graveyard - Beckenham

LOCATION:

You will find the site on High Street, Bromley Road in Beckenham, Kent. The site is relatively easy to get to. Beckenham Junction rail and tram are right next to it. There are also plenty of buses going that way including the 54 and 367. There are 2 entrances; there is the main entrance, located at the front of the church and another which you can access through the park right next to it. The graveyard is in the London Borough of Bromley.

FIRST OPENED:

The building itself dates back to 1100. In 1885, the graveyard and the church began refurbishment and in 1887, it was completed.

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

William Eden, 1^st Baron Auckland – A British statesman and diplomat. The Auckland Islands, New Zealand, were named after him.

ALSO KNOWN AS:

The site has no other recorded previous names. Seeing as it was built in the 12^th century however, it could have gone by another name them but we will never know.

SIZE & LAYOUT:

The layout of the site, excluding the park right next to it, is roughly that of a square shape. The size of the site is about 0.6 hectares.

THE WALKABOUT:

I came across this place as I was setting out to do a walkabout of another graveyard. I couldn’t believe that it was right there and I had never noticed it before. I only live about 10 minutes from the place! Straight off, I hate that it is stuck in the middle of quite a busy road. I always feel that these places need the quiet out of respect. At the main entrance, you are greeted by a 13^th century lych gate. This is one of the oldest ones in England apparently. It’s a beautiful dark oak colour. The gate leads on to a stone path that takes you to the front door of the parish. It’s a beautiful Victorian structure with its famous stained glass windows. The building is built in ragstone with an ashlar dressing. It is extremely grand, there are no other ways to describe it.

There are actually quite a few graves around here. All of them from at least the 19^th century, they are very well preserved and looked after. There are a great amount of trees and bushes to give it more of a naturist feel but not enough to destroy or hide the gravestones. There are quite a few monuments here too. Most of them seem to be that of past priests and their families. It is so hard to believe the amount of graves that are actually in here yet it does not seem cramped at all! What I loved most was the line of graves that were facing into the park right next to it. I can’t describe why I like it, I just do. Maybe for me, it was almost like looking into a different world.     

There is not much else I can really tell you about this place as it is quite small. It really is just one of those places where you have to come and see for yourself. If the graves aren’t your thing then the building itself will ce4rtainly take your breath away. They have maintained all of the trees and the bushes so that they can bring a bit of wildlife back to the place. It seems to have worked as there where squirrels everywhere.

ANY GHOSTS?:

Whilst I was there I noticed that even though the site is in the middle of a somewhat busy junction, when you are exploring the place it actually appears eerily quiet. I don’t know whether this is because I subconsciously shut out the noise or it just wasn’t that noisy at all. Due to this, I could get a real feeling of the place. I felt a few times that I could hear whispering but shrugged it off due to the background noise.

As I was going through my photos, I caught this weird image. Not so much a ghost but what appears like a strange creature. I am aware that there could be a great chance that it could be part of a gravestone or even a piece of rock on the floor but I am pretty sure that nothing was there when I took it.

 

FINAL (RESTING) WORD:

I am usually quite skeptical with graveyards that are so close to a main road, only because I feel that it ruins the peace and serenity of the place, but this one is truly magnificent. Don’t let the size or the surroundings cloud your judgment, it really does hold its own. It is beautiful in all seasons, especially the autumn, and there is plenty of history to be explored. It is definitely one to check out if you are in the area.   

“Respect those who are not physically here, you can’t see them but they can see you, and disrespect is something they don’t want to see”

 

RATING: 5/5 – Despite the traffic right outside it, I absolutely love this place, utterly stunning.

LINKS: http://www.stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk/

 

 

 

Brockley & Ladywell Cemetery

LOCATION:

The site is situated in the London borough of Lewisham. The nearest stations are either Crofton Park or Ladywell. There are plenty of buses around that area also.

FIRST OPENED:

The cemeteries were opened within one month of each other in 1858.

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

Jane Clouson: Murdered girl with a monument paid for by public donations

Ernest Dowson: Poet and decadent movement artist

Sir George Grove: First director of the royal college of music

Sir John Gilbert: Illustrator

Fernando Tarrida Del Marmol: Cuban anarchist writer

Horatio Henry Couldery: One of the best known Victorian painters of animals

David Jones: War poet and artist

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Ladywell cemetery was formally known as Lewisham cemetery and Brockley cemetery was formally known as Deptford cemetery.

SIZE & LAYOUT:

The site is about 37 acres.

THE WALKABOUT:

When you first walk into the site, taking it for granted that you go through the Ladywell entrance; you are greeted by large, black rot iron gates. This cemetery is one of the first of new wave Victorian graveyards so it definitely has a very old vibe to it. On your left you have the lodge; I assume this to be used by the grounds keeper. In front of you lies a cobbled path and on either side you have trees and a number of graves, some hidden. When you follow the path, you come to a huge white marble statue of a cross in the center of a circle. The statue is a war memorial. From the path, there are paths leading off in the shape of a cross which actually makes it easy to explore and remember where you are.

On the left of the memorial is the cemeteries chapel. This was refurbished in 2004 along with the lodge. To my knowledge, it is still being used although, every time I see it, it seems to be all chained up! It’s not the biggest chapel you will find but it is very lovely with its dark stone work. A lot of the grass around the chapel is very overgrown, I would usually moan about this but it actually gives it that very old American look to it. A bit past the chapel you have even more shrubbery. I don’t think that the site is a nature reserve but it sure does look like one.

Further up is the most interesting part in my opinion, it really is very beautiful. There were tall trees everywhere and moss covered path ways. Across from that is a bit of land where all the graves are really clustered together. This has to be my least favourite part as it seems slightly impersonal. I also think that that part was the Roman Catholic part which seems really out of place as I expected it to be grander. You will find the grave of Jane Clouson on your travels. She was a young girl who was brutally murdered and the public bought a memorial for her. I heard about this story years ago so it was a bit sad and surreal to see her grave.

On the walk back, I came across this weird little spot that almost resembled a campsite. There were about 4 very old broken logs in somewhat of a circle shape. There was even a woman relaxing there reading! Wish I had known about it as I would have done the same! There was also a weird broken wall that went right through the cemetery (I was to later learn that the graveyard is actually 2 graveyards in one and the wall was what once separated them). There were plenty of little hidden pathways that kept me completely occupied until it was time for me to leave.

ANY GHOSTS?:

I never caught any ghosts this time on my walkabout; however, I was not disappointed as it was one of the most spiritually active sites that I had been to in a long time. It is situated in quite a quiet spot. This really helps when you are trying to get a feeling of the place. It really is very serene, especially when you get to the grave of Jane. Although you feel sorrow, you also feel at peace. I would certainly lie to come back here and maybe do a night time investigation if possible.  

FINAL (RESTING) WORD:

I absolutely loved this place. I had been here before once whilst doing a photo-shoot and I was determined that I was coming back to investigate it. It may sound silly but, I really feel like I am in another world when I come here. I can hear no traffic and there is plenty of wildlife and nature for me to look at. Also if you give it enough attention, you will be surprised with how much history you could actually learn. Don’t let the fact that it’s 2 cemeteries put you off as you really can’t tell. I never knew until after I had been there! This really is one that needs to be given more attention by the public.

“Respect those who are not physically here, you can’t see them but they can see you, and disrespect is something they don’t want to see”

RATING: 4/5 – I only wish that there was more of this place. It is very beautiful and has a lot more history than what I bargained for. This is one to certainly check out.

LINKS: http://www.nwkfhs.org.uk/ladywell.htm

 

East Sheen Cemetery

LOCATION:

There is an entrance at King Rides Gate but it is a lot easier to access it through Richmond cemetery. The site is situated between Sheen Common, Richmond cemetery and Richmond Park. There are a number of buses that go there and the nearest station is Richmond.

FIRST OPENED:

The site opened in 1905.

 

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

Roy Kinnear – Actor

The Lancaster Family – Coal mining business

Louise & Edouard Espinosa – Founders of the British ballet organization

Fulton MacKay – Actor

Sir Miles De Montmorency – Painter & author

William Ellsworth Robinson – Member of the magic circle

Ian Homer Walters – Sculptor & socialist

Jim Biddulph - Journalist

 

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Before it was joined up with Richmond, it was known as Barnes Cemetery.

 

SIZE & LAYOUT:

The layout is like one big very pointed triangle. The size of the actual site is not given.

 

THE WALKABOUT:

After my walkabout at Richmond, I then entered this one. Straight off, it is very similar to the previous cemetery. Not surprising considering they were both one whole cemetery at one point. I had a bit of a problem trying to distinguish where the site began as some of it was still considered part of Richmond.

The site has a very basic lawn set out, a bit more presentable than the previous site. As you walk down the path you walk past a war memorial. This is very well presented. When you walk further down the path you will see a little chapel. The chapel is used for all faiths and beliefs. It is a lovely little stone structure surrounded by gravel. You will notice that there are a lot of trees about. Not only does this make the site look beautiful but because it just so happens to be next to Richmond Park.

The trees going along the edges give it a slight creepy feel. I can’t describe why, maybe because it makes it feel slightly closed in and secluded. Not far from the church is a pathway that looks like a crossroads. Quite oddly placed considering how much superstitious folk there are around. These have weird box bushes by the side that looks like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland. Right past the crossroad path is one of the most stunning graves I have ever seen. It’s a massive block monument with an angel grabbing towards it. I believe it is made out of bronze and has a very pale blue colour to it. It’s a lot bigger than my photography makes it look.

Towards the end you have what I think may be the more recent part as all the graves are in rows and there are a lot of vacant spaces. I could hear a wind chime in the distance, when I found it I was greeted by a cluster of Chinese graves. I know that this is a custom that they have.

 

ANY GHOSTS?:

When I came out of Richmond, I had this overwhelming feeling of sadness that I just can’t describe. I’ve been doing this for years and it’s the first time I have felt that way. This probably heightened any feelings I had. I did feel like someone was constantly watching me, the tall trees made it feel even creepier somehow. These are the images that I caught:

To me it appears to be a ghost wearing what looks like a red dress.

This one is what I think may be an orb. It wasn’t raining that day so there isn’t much explanation for it.

 

FINAL (RESTING) WORD:

If you come in through the Richmond cemetery entrance then there is not an awful lot to see but give it time and you will see a lot of the hidden beauty there. If anything, the trees are a sight in themselves.

“Respect those who are not physically here, you can’t see them but they can see you, and disrespect is something they don’t want to see”

 

RATING: 6/10 – the confusion between the 2 is slightly annoying and it doesn’t feel as old as Richmond, but it’s still worth a walk around.

 

LINKS: N/A

 

St Mary The Virgin Chapel & Graveyard

LOCATION:

The site is found on Horsham Lane, Upchurch, Kent. The nearest train station would be Rainham, but even that is a bit of a trek so a car may be more suited when visiting this one. There are bus services but they are non-existent half of the time!

 

FIRST OPENED:

I couldn’t find an exact date but the chapel is a few hundred years old so I’m guessing that the graveyard would have been around for roughly the same time.

 

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

N/A

 

ALSO KNOWN AS:

N/A

 

SIZE & LAYOUT:

N/A

 

THE WALKABOUT:

I had heard about this place a while back whilst studying history. I believe Sir Francis Drake’s father was a vicar here in about 1560. It also has some important links to the Spanish Armada. Luckily for me, my boyfriend lives in this little town so it gave me the perfect chance to go and explore it.

The first thing you will notice right off is the chapel. It has a very unusual steeple; it is square on the bottom and a cone shape on top. Underneath, there is supposed to be a crypt where they kept bones when the graveyard got to full. It was discovered in 1887 and all the bones where laid to rest. One thing I will say about this graveyard is that it is very well looked after. All of the lawn is neat and trimmed and the rose bushes are well kept. The pathways are all clear and even the very old graves look as though they have been treated well. At the front you have all of the bigger monuments, probably past vicars. There are lots of trees here making it all seem very peaceful.

This site is actually quite deceptively big; once you go around the back you see a lot more graves. This part seems a lot more active as there are graves with flowers on them. Again, it is neat and tidy. The only thing slightly off putting is that there seems to be some kind of allotment right behind it. It almost makes the place feel slightly impersonal. A lot of the graves also lie in the shadow of the chapel, quite serene actually. Old fashioned is certainly a word that springs to mind with this place. Even the old wooden gate has some beautiful carvings on it!

ANY GHOSTS?:

I didn’t physically catch any evidence from this place nor did I really pick up on anything. In all honesty though, it was such a beautiful day and, to sound corny, I was with my man so I was in a good mood! Maybe I was also picking up on some good vibes, who knows! I only found out about the crypt when I got back home though so I would like to investigate that further at some point.

 

FINAL (RESTING) WORD:

It’s not the grandest graveyard you will ever see but it does have plenty of history to it and the architecture of the building is stunning. It is awkward to get to but if you are planning a day trip then I suggest you pay it a little visit.

 

“Respect those who are not physically here, you can’t see them but they can see you, and disrespect is something they don’t want to see”

 

RATING: 3/5 – quite small and not a great deal to see but well looked after and will offer an enjoyable walk around in the summer.

 

LINKS: none available

 

Glasgow Necropolis



LOCATION:

It can be found in Cathedral Square, Glasgow, Scotland. It is opposite Glasgow Cathedral and the main gates lie behind St Mungo’s museum of religious life and art. There is another gate found on Wishart Street. The nearest station is High Street (Glasgow) and there are plenty of buses that run past it.
 

FIRST OPENED:

After the proposal was agreed in 1828, the Necropolis was opened in 1832.
 

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

Charles Tennant: A chemist and industrialist. He discovered bleaching powder.

John Henry Alexander: Noted scientist and businessman.

John Knox: Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation.

Charles Macintosh: Scottish chemist and inventor of waterproof fabrics.

William Miller: Poet

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Before it was a burial ground it was known as Fir Park.
 

SIZE & LAYOUT:

The site is made up of 37 acres.
 

THE WALKABOUT:

The Merchants’ house bought the land in 1650, the land being part of the estate of Wester Craigs. The west side was too rocky so fir trees were planted there, where it then became known as Fir Park. In 1804, they trees were dying so they were replaced and became known as a Victorian park and arboretum. The foundation stone of the John Knox monument was laid in 1825. The first burial took not long after and it was that of a Jew (the burial ground was always intended to be an interdenominational one).

When approaching this place you can certainly not miss it. Not only is it sitting on top of a large hill but it is massive as well! I could have happily been there all day…had it not been a stormy day. The wind was so strong and the rain was so hard that it was impossible to see everything. I couldn’t take pictures properly and it was very slippery. So I shall tell you about what I did get to see.

It has maintained all of its Victorian glory. It is all built on a big hill however so if you are not that fit then this may not be the best one for you to venture at this time! There are tonnes of monuments and memorials in this place and half of them are at least twice the size of me. To get to the sight you have to go over what appears to be an old bridge. It’s very sturdy so don’t worry yourselves. It is quite grassy but there are lots of little pathways. I never got to venture much downhill as it was not very safe at that time to go down. From what I could see, there appeared to be lots of little graves. I think one was a memorial garden for children. What I love most about this place too, is that it is one of the few cemeteries to actually keep all the records of their dead, everything from profession to cause of death.

They do plenty of guided tours here also as there is so much history! From the top of the hill the view of Glasgow was amazing. It was such a shame that I could venture no more of the place. I can’t wait till I next go back as this is definitely one that I will be checking again.
 

ANY GHOSTS?:

This place is reputedly said to be haunted and there are tales from all over about weird experiences that people have seen or felt. Me personally, I didn’t give myself much of a chance to really look for something due to very bad weather and the fact that I had had no experience so I wasn’t too sure what to do. On this trip I have nothing but I do plan on going back and doing a full investigation of it!
 

FINAL (RESTING) WORD:

It really is one of the grandest and most beautiful graveyards that I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Not only are you surrounded by beautiful old graves with an amazing amount of history but if you go right to the top, you have an amazing view of the whole of Glasgow. For anyone living outside of Scotland, this is definitely one to go and visit before you die!

“Respect those who are not physically here, you can’t see them but they can see you, and disrespect is something they don’t want to see”

RATING: 5/5 – So stunning and worth the trip, if the weathers good that is!

LINKS: http://www.glasgownecropolis.org/

 

 

 

London Road Cemetery



LOCATION:

It is located in Borough of Bromley. It is a couple of minutes’ walk from the Bromley Hill Cemetery. The main entrance is found on Warner Road. There are several buses that stop near it and the nearest train stations are either Bromley North or Sundridge Park.
 

FIRST OPENED:

It first opened in 1877.
 

FAMOUS RESIDENTS:

Sir Edward Scott: Banker & sheriff of Kent

Sir Ralph Forster: Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey

Frank Pullen: Racehorse owner
 

ALSO KNOWN AS:

At one point it was known as Beckenham Cemetery as it is quite near to the town.
 

SIZE & LAYOUT:

The burial ground is only 4.8 acres, the land is pretty much square shaped so everything is easy to see.
 

THE WALKABOUT:

I completely went the wrong way as I was trying to find this place so I was not in the best of moods when I got there! Plus it was light raining which was inconvenient whilst trying to take photos. Apart from that I was glad to eventually get there. The walls around the place are only about 3-4 feet high so you could see everything while standing outside it. Shame its right next to a busy road. As you enter the cemetery you are greeted by dark iron gates. They are very Gothic looking. Straight ahead of you is a massive archway that joins together 2 chapels. I believe one is the mortuary and the other is the actual chapel. It was shut so I couldn’t go and see for myself. The building is truly beautiful. They are surrounded with lots of plants and little flower beds. Once you walk through the archway, right in front of you is a big flower bed. The bed has 4 paths leading from it (in the shape of a cross).

The graveyard itself is small so there is not an awful lot to see. Doesn’t mean the graves aren’t beautiful though. This is a very well looked after graveyard, very tidy. The men were even in on the day I was there, mowing the lawns and trimming the roses. Considering how old the place is, there aren’t actually that many really old looking graves. There are a few damaged ones but most of them are in pretty good condition! There are a few memorial benches placed around also. They make the graveyard almost look like a park. The back of the graveyard has trees surrounding it. They should have done this with the front also I feel.

Every time I see or read a grave I always feel a bit sad but the one that really got me was a little baby’s grave. It was buried away from the others (I don’t know why) and there was loads of little toys in front of it, all brightly coloured. It was quite sad to see it really.
 

ANY GHOSTS?:

Because of the constant noise, it was very hard to get a feeling of the place. It deserves to have a lot more peace than it does. So I never got a distinctive feeling. However, the photos I took tell a different story. These have not been looked over so I am just pointing out what I think looked strange. Here they are:

This I don’t believe is a ghost photo but it does appear to be some sort of strange little creature. If anyone thinks they have a clue what it might be then go ahead!

This one appears to be a devilish face peering over at me. A spirit not agreeing with what I’m doing maybe?

FINAL (RESTING) WORD:

It’s not the largest cemetery I have ever been too, and the constant traffic right next to it is very off putting. Apart from that, it is very simple and very lovely. Nice for a little walk around I feel. If they could somehow make it more private to the traffic then that would be perfect.

“Respect those who are not physically here, you can’t see them but they can see you, and disrespect is something they don’t want to see”

RATING: 3/5 – maybe not worth a long trip to go and see but beautiful none the less

LINKS: http://www.bromley.gov.uk/directory_record/508042/london_road_cemetery