London's Most Unusual Graveyards - A Guided Cemetery Tour

In this video, Jessica the Museum Guide (that’s me!) takes you on a guided cemetery tour of seven unusual graveyards in London, just in time for Hallowe’en.

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VIDEO SUMMARY
It’s October again, and the air is crisp, the leaves are falling, and the nights are drawing in. That means it’s time today to visit a spooky topic - let’s talk about London’s dead, and more specifically, the most unusual places they reside. No matter what time of year you’re watching, it’s always a good time for the macabre.

This London graveyard tour covers seven strange and unusual places of rest, taking you to far-flung corners of the city to explore our buried past.

0:00 - Introduction to the Tour
1:23 - Crossbones Graveyard – Medieval sex workers’ burial ground
4:41 - Bunhill Fields – Non-Conformist’s burials on a pile of ancient bones
9:18 - Ilford Animal Cemetery – A touching place of rest for pets and heroic animals
12:56 - Meath Gardens – The former Victoria Park Cemetery and 300K graves
15:50 - Joseph Grimaldi Park – Dance on the grave of a famous clown
19:36 - Novo Cemetery – An 18th-century Jewish cemetery in the heart of a university
22:35 - Charterhouse Square – A 14th-century plague pit rediscovered in 2013

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[TheMuseumGuide]

Want to watch another spooky video? Check out The Most Macabre Objects in London's Churches - An In-Depth Guided Tour

[lisatheboywonder]

I low key got choked up when you talked about Simon and hugged my cat tight.

[chrisball]

For a video full of thousands of dead people, this was oddly uplifting, highlighting an enduring human desire to honour the departed, whether that's heroic animals, tragic clowns or medieval outcasts. Congratulations on becoming a mum.

[Alibiify]

I’m from Illinois, and have been hunting for more information on my ancestor: Moses Lowman, who is buried in Bunhill. In my research, I was surprised to find that this cemetery was, seemingly, ‘in the middle of London’, but I could never find a video of the inside; the closest I’ve gotten was google Earth, in which I discovered the Quaker plot nearby and was heartbroken over how it seemed to be forgotten —- I appreciate your explanation as to why, and my heart is healed. Thank you so very much for this tour. (I was hoping you’d mention Moses among your notable burials, but I can understand why he’s not as well known.) 😊

[ninaappelt]

Yes, a separate video on the Plague Cemetery, please.

[juliej]

Great video, you find so many hidden gems in London, thank you for sharing them.

[michaelwhite]

A friend of mine cleared old cemeteries for a living. His team were contracted to clear a so called plague and witch cemetery near a well known hospital. Most of his team had a rather dark sense of humour. They were provided amongst many tools with an axe. One of the team was making fun of the fact witches were supposed to be buried there. Before digging up the graves some headstones in the area had to be removed, and the guy who was mocking the dead started throwing his axe around. He aimed it at a particular stone, and after throwing it, one of his colleagues saw the axe hit the stone and fly back at the thrower with force. The axe buried itself in the throwers leg. The guy was taken to the hospital where he went through extensive treatment because of the graveyard having a plague pit.

[jenstaggs]

Congratulations on your new baby! And thank you for this fascinating tour! Your informative good nature is both enlightening and refreshing! Thank you for all of your hard work!

[stephenwhittaker]

My wife was researching her family tree and discovered Quaker relatives who were originally from North Yorkshire, near Stokesley. A prosperous farmer with several sons paid for 3 of them to be apprenticed in various trades in the Wrapping area of London. Their trades ranged from goldsmith to cheesemonger and many of their descendants were buried at Bunhill Fields. It was interesting to see the graveyard in your video. Thank you.

[jessescott]

Laying here in Kentucky with food poison and having an absolutely wonderful time lol. Your channel has brought me several hours of awesome educational entertainment. I was so happy when I discovered you a few hours ago and I still haven't stopped watching yet. Great content, please never stop

[thelaughlaundry]

Far-out! i never grow tired of watching the spooky, creepy, haunted places in England! You are awesome finding all this info for us. Oh, and congrats on the new addition to your family! Thanks sooo much from Kathleen in California

[shescreamsout]

I just found your channel and I just want to thank you so much for doing these videos! They make these places so much more accessible for those of us who can’t travel easily (or who can’t physically access some of these due to disabilities). What a wonderful way to spend your time 🤗

[mounyenclifton]

I’m new to your tours and am very much enjoying them. I like that you give history without being too dry. You keep things interesting and informative without dragging and repeating, like some people do. Thanks for the work you do because, I think that you help to keep the past alive.

[klhaldane]

Just a note about Simon and The Amethyst - The ship was trapped on the river by enemy forces upstream and down, and totally unable to resupply. If Simon hadn't killed so many rats, they would have been forced to surrender due to running out of food.

[peterswires]

These videos are better than most of the stuff you see on British TV these days.

[paulinemegson]

I love the way that London, of all the cities I’ve been to, never hides the fact that your life right now, is built on the bodies of those who came before. I know that it unsettles Americans in particular but in all honesty it’s probably true of many places in the US too, you just prefer to ignore it or pretend it’s not so. But even before the “pilgrim fathers” there were people, and people create settlements in certain areas for the same reasons….access to water, food, transport routes…..so populated areas tend to stay populated, and with life, comes death.

[michaelhawkins]

Thanks for another great tour. Daniel Defoe’s grave in Highgate reminded me that he wrote A Journal of a Plague year which I’m sure you’ve read which left me disturbed as a child and and rang too true during covid period. Thanks again. Mike.

[LauPineda]

Yes, please! Video of the plague would be really interesting to learn from. Your videos are wonderful! Thank you so much!

[paulschofield]

Thanks for your cemetery videos, extremely informative 👍, I'm Manchester born but living in Australia 🇦🇺 cheers 🍻 ❤ 😊

[GraveVisitations]

Love the strange stories and cemeteries. I loved my time in London thanks for sharing. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪