Reckoned by a lot of people to be the third-most important cemetery in London (after Highgate and Kensal Green), West Norwood is full of interesting dereliction, only some of which I could cover in the forty five minutes or so I managed after work. Like a lot of Victorian cemeteries in London it has quite a few famous people interred in it, in this case three Henry's; Henry Doulton (of Doulton China fame), Henry Tate (of Tate and Lyle and founder of the Tate Gallery) and Henry Bessemer (who invented the converter of the same name, so essential for making steel). It has some really outstanding mausoleums, but beware some of it is not for the faint hearted. For example, a quick look through the trefoil indow of the James Chester Mausoleum (see below) will reveal some genuine Victorian coffins wrapped in canvas. Similarly there is a rolling programme of cleaning out and maintaining mausoleums - on the day I was there a particularly large one was being treated for subsidence and the doors were open. No photos of that, for reasons that others may share. However there are some great pieces of masonry, and the place is a genuine oasis of calm amongst the hubbub of a south London high street. It also has a set of catacombs but these have been shut for some time owing to health and safety reason....
The Chester Mausoleum
....this is the Henry Tate Mausoleum
..and these are the inside and outside of the Henry Doulton mausoleum who has his own special part of the cemetery
...and finally some other stuff.
That last one is the tomb of James Marsden, founder of the Marsden hospital, which will probably mean something to a few south londoners. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks when they are opening up the Greek Chapel, which is the biggest mausoleum/chapel on the site. Anyone who want to join me, PM me.
GDZ
The Chester Mausoleum
....this is the Henry Tate Mausoleum
..and these are the inside and outside of the Henry Doulton mausoleum who has his own special part of the cemetery
...and finally some other stuff.
That last one is the tomb of James Marsden, founder of the Marsden hospital, which will probably mean something to a few south londoners. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks when they are opening up the Greek Chapel, which is the biggest mausoleum/chapel on the site. Anyone who want to join me, PM me.
GDZ