Brompton Cemetery

In mid 19th century London, the decision was made by the governing authority to build seven new cemeteries. For years, the cemeteries of the great city had struggled to deal with the amount of residents who expired within its walls, and there were a great many fears for both standards of hygiene and for the lack of respect for the dead. Seven large cemeteries were built in a ring around the inner city of London, which became known as the Magnificent Seven, and Brompton Cemetery has become the most  well known. Though Brompton still acts as a modern day burial site, it is now mostly used by the local populace as a park and has also become a tourist attraction due its list of graves of prominent individuals.

Brompton Cemetery is a curious creature in this, as while large cemeteries of major cities have also become tourist attractions all of these tend to still focus on mourning the dead. Modern burials do still take place at Brompton, however they are increasingly rare. Instead, the splendor of the buildings and monuments of Brompton, coupled with the grassy land, has meant the area has become a popular place to enjoy, alongside the dead that lie within its boundaries. Whether this is appropriate or not is much debated in the local community, but Brompton Cemetery is so enduringly popular, it is a situation that is unlikely to change.

The cemetery itself is located on the outskirts of London, near Earl’s Court in West Brompton, and falls within the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea. As Kensington and Chelsea has long been established as one of the wealthiest boroughs in London, it is fitting that the design and landscaping of Brompton is suitably stylish.

Brompton Cemetery was designed by the little known architect Benjamin Baud, and was initially known as the West of London and Westminster Cemetery upon its opening in 1840 following an Act of Parliament. At the centre of the cemetery is a domed chapel, themed upon the similarly styled St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, albeit it with a Gothic twist. The design is meant to evoke the feel of a large, open air cathedral. It is listed as a Grade II in the English Heritage Register of Parks of Gardens of Specific Historic Interest, and five of the individual monuments have separated Grade II listings.

It is impossible to mention Brompton Cemetery without mentioning some of the well known names that rest there. The residents range across many different spheres, from the founder of the Cunard ship line to Emiline Pankhurst, the leader of the Suffragette Movement. The grave of one Henry Cole may not be noticed by many, but he is in fact not only the founder of many famous art museums but also the inventor of the Christmas Card. Few of the residents are what could be considered modern figures, which once again confirms Brompton Cemetery’s evolution from burial place of the rich and famous to genteel London country park.