Cemeteries provide some of London's most treasured and beautifully tranquil spaces. Whilst you may get spooked out by the silence of the dead, a lot of these final resting places are incredibly grand, and in some decaying-before-your-eyes way, entirely stunning. Take a peaceful wander around some of our top graveyard spots – you may even spot the tombs of some ex-celebrities.
Highgate Cemetery
First opened in 1839 and by far the most popular in London mostly thanks to a steady stream of visitors to Karl Marx, amongst other famous people. Split into both east and west cemeteries, the east side is open to the general public (and still takes burials), whilst the west is mostly closed although tours can be taken for a small fee. Huge Gothic tombs tower over you in typically superfluous Victorian fashion, yet if you take a deeper look there are smaller memorials set deeper in the quiet recesses of the cemetery, often providing a safe haven for a wide range of animals. English Heritage describes Highgate Cemetery as a place of "outstanding historical and architectural interest", and if you're looking for something grand, a little overgrown, and big enough to spend hours exploring, this is the one for you. Must-see graves include Egyptian Avenue and The Lebanon Circle Vaults. The closest tube station to Highgate Cemetery is Archway.
Buried here: Karl Marx (founder of Marxism), Douglas Adams (author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) and George Eliot (novelist).
Abney Park
Situated off Stoke Newington High Street, Abney Park was created in the early 18th century, initially as a parkland but transformed bby popular demand. For graves. Abney Park is well known as Europe's first wholly non-denominational cemetery. Its under-stated appearance is partly a result of air pollution whic has withered the once-magnificent botanical gardens, and a Gothic chapel remains gutted by fire from a blaze more than 30 years ago. Mind you, the burnt-out ruin has proved a draw for more than one film-maker. Although Abney Park is partly ruinous, its beautifully overgrown grounds exert just as much charm as the formerly elegant graveyard.
Buried here: Catherine and William Booth (founders of the Salvation Army)
Hampstead Cemetery
If you prefer your sites of the dead a little more well-kept, why not take a long walk around the stunning 26 acres of Hampstead Cemetery? The site itself is split by a public footpath running to Fortune Green and houses two Gothic style mortuary chapels, both of which are Grade II listed buildings. The Cemetery is actually located almost a mile from Hampstead Village and houses various denominations, with beautiful, historic memorials reflecting Celtic and Art Deco influences, notably the Bianchi monument. The entire site is beautifully mainted with sprawling flora across the large grounds.
Buried here: Florence Kate Upton (creator of the Golliwogg), Joseph Lister (discoverer of antiseptic) and Andrew Fisher (fifth Prime Minister of Australia).
West Norwood Cemetery
This amazing 40 acre site has 66 Grade I and II listed buildings, 42,000 plots and 34,000 cremations. This huge site, based in the borough of Lambeth, is pinned on the map as one of Europe's most significant cemeteries, thanks to its extensive Gothic history. The site did originally include two Gothic chapels, but these have since been destroyed during World War II. However, when a part of the cemetery was acquired by the Greek community, it soon filled up with large monuments and beautiful mausoleums.
Buried here: Sir Hiram Maxim (inventor of the automatic machine gun), James Henry Greathead (tunnelled most of the London Underground).
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