Abney Park Cemetery Trust

Abney Park Cemetery should be entered quietly, on tiptoe, with respect for those who rest there and with respect for English history and, above all, for the history of the city of London. Abney Park Cemetery is one of the most fascinating and symbolic places in London, renowned for its historical, landscape, and cultural value. Today it is both an ancient monumental cemetery and a large urban park, where nature and historical memory coexist in a unique way. Unlike many other Victorian cemeteries, Abney Park was created with a distinctive feature: it was a non denominational cemetery. This made it particularly significant for communities of religious dissenters. It was one of the first cemeteries designed as an arboretum, with hundreds of species of trees and plants from all over the world.
It hosted the funerals of important religious figures, intellectuals, and social reformers. It represented a model of equality in death, without explicit religious or social hierarchies. Among the people buried here are writers, musicians, activists, and preachers who played a significant role in British cultural life during the nineteenth century. Among the trees and memorials of Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, a huge white marble lion sleeps peacefully, known as Bostock's Lion. This beautiful tomb marks the final resting place of one of the great showmen of the early twentieth century, "The King of the Animals" Frank C. Bostock. At the time of his death in 1912, Frank's menageries (which represented the ancestors of today's zoos), extremely popular, had toured all over Europe and America. A tower was built specifically to house the lions and, over the years, animals and birds of every type were brought from all over the world, from parrots to rattlesnakes to a grizzly bear named Martin and an owl named Hopkins. Frank's funeral was, as befits such a showman, a grand event; thirty carriages of mourners followed the hearse to Abney Park and crowds gathered along the route as a sign of respect. Frank's beautiful tomb still stands out prominently among the gravestones of Abney Park, providing a lasting memorial to a great entertainer. Many tombs and mausoleums are now partially covered with moss and ivy, creating a suggestive and melancholic atmosphere.
The vegetation, which has grown freely for decades, has transformed the cemetery into a kind of urban woodland. Today Abney Park Cemetery is a multifunctional place.
A public park and protected green area.
A site of historical and architectural interest.
A space of artistic inspiration, often associated with gothic literature, photography, and alternative music. Abney Park Cemetery is a rare example of how a place created for death can transform into a living space, rich in history, biodiversity, and cultural meaning, while preserving its evocative character in the heart of modern London. Abney Park Cemetery has also become famous in contemporary pop culture thanks to its connection with Amy Winehouse, who chose it as the setting for one of her most iconic music videos, Back to Black. This choice strengthened the image of the cemetery as an evocative, melancholic, and deeply symbolic place. Absolutely worth visiting, as I wrote at the beginning of this review, on tiptoe, with respect for those who rest there, with respect for Memory and History. Dario Ferro.

Very atmospheric place specially durning autumn and spring. Those graves looks amazing.

Worth a visit to this unique “dissenters” cemetery & was originally an arboretum. Plus you can enjoy the culinary delights of Stoke Newington

Wonderful cemetery that’s part of the magnificence seven, has Egyptian influence like the others do and is currently undergoing renovation. The place has so many dogs that are often off leads, so if that bothers you, you may not want to go or you can write the council. Generally a peaceful and pleasant experience. Dropped to 3 stars as council has squandered money on steel rusted boxes

We had a fantastic private tour of Abney Park Cemetery with Haydn. The tour was both highly informative and full of interesting stories, delivered with just the right amount of humour to keep everyone engaged! Haydn tailored the content perfectly to our group of architects, including a visit to the beautifully restored chapel. Thanks for a memorable experience on a chilly winter’s day!

Such a lovely cemetery , perfect place to walk and get some rest

Don't walk past this cemetery, you must go inside to experience this amazing place with so much history. Most of the graves and memorial stones are overgrown and have moved as the ground has shifted. There is so much atmosphere in this very old place, quite a green and leafy haven for local walkers with dogs and prams.

One of the magnificent seven cemeteries of London, Abney Park Cemetery deserves its place in the list. A beautiful and peaceful site that is a wildlife sanctuary. The paths can get muddy in bad weather, so sensible shoes are required. The main entrance has toilets and a cafe. The toilets were clean. The site is wheelchair and pushchair accessible from the main entrance. There was an entrance on the other side, but I forgot to check that for accessibility

Abney Park might be my favorite cemetery. Is it weird to have a favorite cemetery? Do I care? I first came here over a decade ago during my study abroad in London, and upon my recent re-visit I found that, unsurprisingly, not much has changed. The space is really quite beautiful. The cemetery isn't quite abandoned, but it is wild and overgrown, with meandering paths and labyrinths of headstones and tombs. Hosts of melancholy angels watch over the wanderers, and the chapel (actually abandoned) gazes out over the land with empty windows for eyes. It's lovely and very peaceful, and after a few steps away from the gates it doesn't even feel as though you're in London anymore, but some mysterious place out of time. If you need a reprieve from the bustle of the city, Abney Park is well worth a visit.

Another delightful, potentially haunting London Cemetery. Partially tidied, partially wildly rambling, one can find a nice variety of trees and native plants happily coexisting amongst the grave markers. I appreciate the respect for decaying trees and their importance to the park's wildlife. This cemetery appears to be a popular green space for locals, as there were individuals on benches, groups of young people, and what appeared to be a school field trip wandering through.

Little people know but this small park from the outside is actually one of the Magnificent Seven. It is one of the smallest one and very abandoned (cans, garbage everywhere) but it's free and it's a nice stroll if you're in Stoke Newington. Go to brunch at the blue legume after that.

Really great place. It's a cemetery but also a nature preserve. And they have a wood working workshop right at the front entrance, I think they are open on wednesdays? Check out the website! And the chapel in the middle has lots of things regularly going on. Like recently there was an art exhibit and soon a puppet opera show is going to take its place. How awesome is that. Everything is covered in green and slightly overcrowded. Love all the little pathways you can discover. Let's get lost shall we?

It's a shame that George Michael didn't know about this place before being arrested for flashing his bits in public because Abney Park Cemetery is much more scenic than a public toilet. Apart from having a reputation as a local cottaging spot, the Cemetery is steeped in history and is a beautiful nature reserve with an educational team dedicated to promoting history and stone masonry. It is a circa 18th Century site, preserved in memory of Dr Isaac Watts and Lady Mary Abney, architecturally based on rural Victorian cemeteries and was the home of a Quaker school where the first school bus in the world was used. You can follow the walking trail either from the high street through to Church Street or the other way round, taking in grand tombstones encased in weeds and ivy and the dilapidated church in the centre with pigeons flying in and out of it's gaping windows. This is an absolutely stunning place for an English afternoon stroll, reminiscent of scenes from Wuthering Heights or Frankenstein, morbid yet refreshing and guaranteed to put some colour in your cheeks and a spring in your step (especially if you happen to meet a friend in the bushes).

I love a good cemetery, it's weird, I know. It's definitely a place for people who are intrigued by the dilapidated-ness of graveyards. I believe this place was opened in the early 1900's as an overspill due to the lack of available burial land in London. The place isn't well kept and a lot of the graves are unreachable due to the overgrown trees and brambles. Make sure you wear closed shoes such as trainers - trust me, I wore sandals and regretted it :p This graveyard would be great if you are good with a camera - you can get some really good shots.

Ooooh so pretty! I thoroughly enjoyed my wander through here on a sunny Saturday afternoon with my friend and our Diana cameras. The spooky church in the centre is a must see and i cant wait to read up on the history of this place! We did pass a LOT of men, not walking dogs, not taking photos, but just going round in circles. Searching...for something!? My first ever visit to Stoke Newington, and i actually love it and want to move here asap. Even the flats overlooking the cemetery looked delightful in a 70s, creepy cemetery next door to my flat kinda way!

Although a cemetery, this is also one of the prettiest parks in London. Overgrown, full of old crumbling graves and leafy pathways, you can come here for a secluded stroll, in these faintly gothic surroundings. It also has a really interesting history as the first non-denominational burial ground in London. One negative though, I never really feel all that happy walking through here alone. It's too overgrown and empty and you're too likely to bump into stray loons and drunks. Unless you're very foolhardy, come with a friend, or better, a lover.

Hauntingly alluring are the words I'd use to describe this place. It's certainly not on the typical tourist attraction agenda, but worth a visit for locals and their guests. The wind was howling and the leafless tree branches were swaying about as we walked through the cemetery. Let your imagination run wild. FYI - This is one of the "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of London. Don't forget to check out the other six!

Stunning Victorian cemetery that very well deserve it's place amongst London's "Magnificent Seven" garden cemeteries. The perfect place for a Sunday walk (or, if you're brave, maybe an Halloween walk?) http://cakeandwhisky.com/2015/11/01/this-was-halloween-abney-park-cemetery

Some people think cemeteries are creepy. I am not one of those people. When I was young, living outside of NYC in the industrial wasteland that is northern New Jersey, there was no park nearby my family home. So my mother used to take my brother, my sister and me to the local cemetery. We had this game that involved running around the cemetery looking for the newest grave and then, the oldest. When this game was over, we'd settle in for a cemetery picnic under the statue of Jesus. These days were happy memories. Therefore, I love all cemeteries now, and not in the weird I-wear-all-black-and-slit-my-wrists sort of way. Abney Park Cemetery was one of the most amazing cemeteries I've been to in recent memory. And I've been to some high-profile cemeteries like Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC in my time. What I loved about this place was how ram-packed full of graves it was. How overgrown it was. How it all looked like it had fallen into disrepair. Yet, it was obvious that some graves were well tended, cared for. It's just that others had been long-forgotten under the creeping overgrowth. Little gravestones lined the walkways through the middle of the cemetery, and it soon became clear that the walkways hadn't always been there; it's just that the gravestones had been moved out of the way, jumbled together to demarcate the winding footpaths rather than their bodies in the ground. If you have an affinity for cemeteries, this one is not to be missed. But if you think that my affinity for cemeteries is a bit sadistic and/or sacrilegious, then you'd definitely want to steer well clear of Abney Park Cemetery.

Lolly (the dog I'm sitting for) and I went on an adventure this morning... we decided that rather than take our regular walkies route we would go through the Cemetery. Now I had been here before, but only to walk around the edges and having the pansy of a dog that Lolly is, I decided to walk right to the centre. This is why London NEEDS yelp! This place is one of the most awesome things ever. Right in the middle there is a beautiful falling down church and all the tombstones around it are crammed together and crumbling down. It really was just like the scene out of Great Expectations in the graveyard! If you have an afternoon and feel like taking a pootley walk this is the place to do it, check out all the nooks and crannies, Lolly certainly did!

A heavily overgrown cemetery with romantic ivy covered tombstones. The centre piece is a ruined gothic Church which gave the place a very haunted feel. The cemetery is criss crossed by numerous paths cutting through the thick growth. But I did not really like being cruised by guys looking for a bit of action. As they seemed to be rather too obvious. There are proper places for that sort of action guys!

Is anyone going to mention this is the cemetery where Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" video was shot?!

It's well, you know, nice. And interesting if you like that sort of thing. And I do. It's very, umm, Victorian, you might find it a little morbid, all that death and everything but it's pretty. And much bigger than I'd expected. You should definitely go. And if, like me you go mid week, early in the morning, you'll have the place to yourself. But wear wellies, those damn cyclist have turned the paths in to a quagmire. You know what it reminded me of? A scene in Sherlock Holmes or some other period drama like that. It's very atmospheric. But I think, well, the thing I liked about it was how peaceful it is. And it's such a nice contrast to Clissold Park that is so open it's a warren of overgrowth with these carved monoliths and winged angels peeping through. Gosh, we are so lucky in Stoke Newington, to have all this open space and greenery I mean.

This is an old Victorian cemetery in the heart of Stoke Newington, which has become heavily wooded, overgrown and full of wildlife. It's full of foxes, birds, squirrels and brambles. A series of paths criss-cross the grounds between an entrance on Stoke Newington Church Street and the main entrance on Stoke Newington High St (where it meets the bottom of Stamford Hill). But you can easily do a circular walk from either entrance without fear of getting lost, if you stick to the main path. It's not that big, but large enough to stretch your legs and feel like you've got away from the hustle and bustle of London life. I did avoid it for several years, as it can feel a bit spooky wandering around here by yourself and you do spot the odd dodgy looking person. (It did used to have a reputation for cruising, and I don't know if that's still the case but I suspect it is a bit!) But I have walked through here a couple of times this year, just to stretch my legs and get some fresh air and it feels pretty safe in daylight hours. There seem to be plenty of people passing through. And if you feel at all insecure about walking through woods by yourself take a friend!

A great place to wonder around in and get lost temporarily. I planned a trip here with a few friends for halloween and it definitely had the right atmosphere. It's overgrown and has a 'out of London' wild factor. The chapel is currently under construction, but looks worthy of a trip back to Abney park to see it after the scaffolding comes down.

This is an extraordinary, strange place - even for London. Sculptures, crosses, grave stones overwhelmed by power of nature. Shows how reality in centre of London may outrun a film set.

A beautiful, haunting burial ground to explore. The overgrowth adds to the mystery. Walk a few feet in and you'd scarcely know you're in a busy part of London.

Wonderfully atmospheric cemetery, great for a morbid wander through time and nature. The church ruin in the centre would be the perfect setting for a gothic novel. After your contemplative stroll you are perfectly situated for a cuppa at one of Stoke Newington's charming pubs or cares.

This is one of the great treasures of zone 2, the largest wooded area in central london. Difficult to believe that Hackney council was going to build on it in the 70s. They have got rid of all the public toilets so it's not too difficult. It's worth just exploring, there's a chapel hidden in the middle, one of those places where they kept coffins briefly i think. The only down side to the place is that if you spend a long time here, you are inevitably faced with the necessity to go to the loo, and the temptation to do so in the surrounding bushes is somewhat overwhelming. Just check there's nothing more solid underfoot if you know what i mean.

I just read in another review of this cemetery that it is the largest wooded area within the confines of London's Zone 2 area. Very interesting. It is magical this place, if a little strange. It's web site is very well developed with pages full of informtation and activities, particularly for children. I find the reality a bit different to the web page. I mean, I would never, ever, ever let my kid go and play in here unsupervised. (That's if I had one - which I don't) Encourntering the undead would be the very least of their problems. It is a largish park - it takes me about 10 mins to jog around it's perimiter at a moderate pace. It was abandaned as a cemetary some 21 years ago and judging by the dates on the graves, was in use for a few hundred years prior to that. Trees and bushes have grown over the graves - a few of which are still tended by loved ones but mostly they are become beautiful moss covered artifacts. Several trails are well used and well maintained by the council, and the entrance from Stoke Newington high street is edged with impressive gates that open to a path bordered with lushous green grass. There are many other trails, social trails, that are kept open through the passage of visitors. These lead in asymetrical directions, easily confusing the uninitiated. The central feature is a metal grate secured, abandoned gothic chapel, with a significant and impressive spire. Inside can be seen dirt and the refuse left by the last gentleman who inhabited it. These bums, and I use the word with the affection of a reader who counts Mac and the boys of Cannery Row fame as both role models and hero's, are the main inhabitants of the cemetery. You live here for a while and you get to know them, by site if not by name. The one with the guitar being a particular stand out. He found some strings for it a month or so back and now I fall asleep to the sounds of him and his friends singing, as well as the usual fights and drunken mutual admiration sessions. More sinister, at least to my imagination, is the groups of men that are always loitering quietly as I run past. They look equally nervous and confronting and they are always ducking down those hidden paths or seeming to keep a look out. I have no idea what they are up to - if anything - but it's such a hidden envrionment and they are the ones I would keep my child from.

Walking along the Stoke Newington high street, you can easily overlook the entrance to this amazing old cemetery. It is open to public and free to enter. The cemetery is rather large and in semi-derelict state. The main paths are cleared and safe to walk, but the rest of the grounds are rather overgrown, making it hard to reach some of the more interesting graves. Vast majority of headstones are very old and venerable, giving the place a wonderful aura of mystery. You will find yourself reading the dates and wondering about the lives of the people buried there. It gives the whole area the feeling of history and passage of time. It is a wonderful place to contemplate, provided you don't come across a group of drunks congregating at various spots. Drunks and cemeteries, they seem to go hand in hand it seems.. Opposite the main entrance you will notice a headstone of William Booth, a founder of Salvation Army, as well as his wife. From there on, you'll loose track of time, admiring the old graves of more or less prominent people who were buried there. If you ever find yourself in the area, make sure you visit this overlooked historical gem.

a cemetery is not your regular visitor 'attraction', but London boasts a few historic and charming cemeteries, one of which is Abney Park Cemetery just off Stoke Newington Church Street (another is Highgate cemetery which is architecturally renowned and is the final resting place of the likes of Henry Moore and Radcliffe Hall). While Abney Park does not have the reputed architectural cachet of Highgate it has its own striking architecture all situated within a site that has a lovely garden feel the stones lie higledy piggedly amongst trees, planting and overgrown shrubs it has a really friendly and intimate charm with paths winding through the cemetery. In the centre there is a church/chapel, now a little derelict on the inside but magnificent and imposing on the outside. The cemetery is used a lot by those that live in and around Stokey it makes a scenic cut through from the high street to Church street or purely a fascinating and interesting stroll on a Sunday afternoon.

Strange I know, but myself and my other half love visiting old victorian cemeteries. This one is on Stoke Newington Church Street and I am sure a lot of the people eating and drinking at all the trendy bars and restaurants in Stoke Newington do not know of its existence. That is a shame because it is a very interesting place to visit. It is quite a large cemetery with several paths through it. A lot of the graves have become very overgrown with moss and weeds but it is still possible to read some of the headstones which can be interesting. I find a lot of the victorian monuments fascinating if over the top and could spend hours looking around. It is also a good place to walk your dog - just make sure you clean up after it.

Really lovely place for a walk, with tons of fascinating headstones and carved angels, lions, obelisks, etc. The (currently in quite poor repair) chapel and war memorial are worth a peep. Just go in daylight while the local drinking population are still on the "merry" side of the scale, and if it has been raining recently, please note the ground can get extremely muddy.

I am reviewing a cemetery because this cemetery is amazing. It's pretty historic, and is extremely atmospheric. It's off Stoke Newington's trendy Church Street, which is a popular area for eating, drinking and shopping, and there are usually lots of people walking through here, and looking at the old Victorian headstones, including some really incredible ones. The whole place is totally overgrown with greenery. Also, there are lots of famous historical figures buried here, including lots of people involved in the abolition of slavery. A good alternative walking spot.

Hello, would really appreciate some help. My great grandfather Charles George Sadler is buried in Abney Park Cemetery, plot number 145039 section K10 75 11. He died October 10 1926 aged 45 and was buried 16 October 1926. If anybody visits regulary, could you find it in your heart to take a photo of the grave and email me on maggienoakes@yahoo.co.uk Thank you so much for reading this, ill health prevents me from making the long trip over to London. Regards Maggie