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Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was the fifth of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries we visited. It isn’t as striking as Brompton Cemetery or Highgate Cemetery. It doesn’t have the grandeur of those two or even of Abney Park. But it does have something to offer. The clue is in the name assigned to it these days – it’s a park as much as it is a cemetery, and a unique one at that.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
Before the Victorian era, London faced a burial crisis. Small, overcrowded urban churchyards posed severe health risks due to disease and contaminated groundwater. To address this, an Act of Parliament allowed the creation of large, privately owned cemeteries outside the city limits. This Act led to the establishment of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ garden cemeteries. The other cemeteries are:
- Abney Park (read our guide to visiting Abney Park Cemetery)
- Brompton (read our guide to visiting Brompton Cemetery)
- Highgate (read our guide to visiting Highgate Cemetery)
- Kensal Green (read our guide to visiting Kensal Green Cemetery)
- Nunhead (read our guide to visiting Nunhead Cemetery)
- West Norwood (read our guide to visiting West Norwood Cemetery)
A Brief History
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park opened in 1841 as a commercial venture that aimed to improve sanitation for the city. Influenced by the garden cemetery movement, it featured landscaping and buildings designed by renowned architects Thomas Wyatt and David Brandon.
Along with the cemetery’s layout, the architects included an Anglican Chapel, a Byzantine style Dissenters’ Chapel, a mortuary and a lodge, all of which have since been sadly demolished. What does remain from the original layout is the surrounding Grade II listed wall.
After the company encountered financial problems, the cemetery closed in 1966. However, this impressive historical site showcases over 350,000 burials and around 47,000 monuments and even includes several Grade II listed memorials. Tower Hamlets Cemetery was likely the final resting place for more people than the other Magnificent Seven cemeteries, despite not being the biggest – it’s around 27 acres (10.93 hectares).
After its closure, the cemetery fell into neglect. But nature had other plans. Over time, the overgrown grounds transformed into a thriving woodland. The wild growth caught attention, and in 2000, the area was designated a Local Nature Reserve.
Today, Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park strikes a beautiful balance between remembrance, ecology, and community activities (around 170 run annually!). It still bears traces of its Victorian origins and history – monuments peek through the greenery, and there are even sections marked by WWII bomb damage. And thanks to The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, we can all enjoy it. They are an award-winning charity established in 1990, and with the help of around 3,000 volunteers, they keep on top of the park and community activities.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Famous Graves
Tower Hamlets Cemetery doesn’t have any mainstream famous people buried in it. It does, however, have a few worth pointing out because although you might not know any specific names, you might know the stories behind them.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery grounds hold the final resting places of a diverse and fascinating array of individuals, and below are a few we picked out:
- Dr Rees Ralph Llewellyn – the doctor who conducted the autopsy of Mary Ann Nicholls, who was found murdered on 31 August 1888. She is considered to be the first victim of the killer, famously known as Jack the Ripper.
- Barnardo’s Children – this headstone honours the children buried in the cemetery between 1876 and 1924 who couldn’t afford their own headstones. There are thought to be over 500 Barnardo’s Children buried here.
- The Westwood family monument is probably the most eye-catching cemetery memorial and undoubtedly the largest. It’s a Grade-II listed monument whose main character was Joseph Westwood, a businessman who ran a shipbuilding company.
- Henry Norris – a civil engineer who supervised the construction of the first lighthouse in the world to be built for a light powered by alternating current electricity.
- Major John Buckley VC – a soldier who was one of the first recipients of the Victoria Cross for his efforts in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
- The Blitz Memorial – a memorial to those who died in The Blitz, made of bricks from damaged properties.
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Events
For the latest events at the cemetery park, visit their What’s On page. There, you’ll find information on events, trails and volunteering.
Practical Information
The main entrance to the cemetery park is in the north-west corner and is easy to reach via public transport.
The main entrance is just a few minutes walk from Mile End underground station, serviced by Central, District and Hammersmith & City lines.
📍 Tower Hamlets Cemetery, Southern Grove, London, E3 4PX
💷 Free
🕙 Daily, 24 hours
📞 0203 982 8670
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Photos
Search Quieries & FAQs
Is Tower Hamlets Cemetery worth visiting?
Yes, the cemetery is worth visiting. Although it’s not as grand as some of the other cemeteries, it’s within easy reach from Central London and has a few interesting graves, but above all, it’s a nice place to visit because it’s as much of a park as it is anything else these days – just a slightly odd one where moss-covered headstones fringe the winding paths.
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