West Norwood Cemetery

Interesting cemetery to walk around, in an otherwise fairly unremarkable part of London. Those buried here include not only the judge mentioned in the other review, but also:


- Sir Hiram Maxim, inventor of the machine gun
- Mrs Beeton, of cookbook fame
- Sir Henry Bessemer, engineer
- C.W. Alcock, founder of Test Cricket
- Panayis Athanese Vagliano, Greek shipping magnate
- Henry Tate, sugar magnate and founder of the Tate Gallery
- William Collingwood Smith, noted watercolour artist
- Mary Bessie Brough, star of various silent films


....and many more... Unfortunately , in the postwar period Lambeth Council took over the cemetery and demolished some memorials; after a series of court cases in the 1990s, some of these were restored. Lacks the panoramic views offered by some of the other "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries in London (such as Nunhead), but of significant historical interest nonetheless. Worth a visit.

First reaching over you are the stone gothic gates by Sir William Tite, you enter into this high gated and fenced park and it become a trip into what could be imagined to be the past.
With 200 year old and gorgeous columbarium, vaults and catacombs and headstones.
Forget about local park, to find serenity in the city noise have a stroll around, pick some blackberries and be reminded of your looming mortality, take a walk in West Norwood Cem.

This is one of the Magnificent Seven Victorian Cemeteries built around London.
This is a very well maintained cemetery with several interesting people buried here.
The Judge who sentenced Doctor Crippin to hang is buried here.
In a coincidental way so is the radio operator of the ship that Dr Crippin was trying to leave the UK on. This was the first case ever to use radio to catch a murderer ( there is now doubt over wether Crippin was wrongly convicted).
There are some lovely walks here and there is a lot of wildlife to see such as Foxes sunbathing in some of the more secluded places.
There are several places to get a drink or food nearby.
Well worth a visit.