When opened in 1839, Highgate Cemetery soon became a fashionable place for burials, and was a much admired and visited London site. The attitude to death in the Victorian era led to the creation of a wealth of Gothic tombs and buildings throughout the grounds, which now is the resting place for many famous artists such as Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
I visited the grounds recently and was amazed by the elaborate tombs and overgrown woodlands within the cemetery borders – it’s like something out of a fairy tale, with long winding paths and ivy snaking its way along the headstones. In the 1950’s there was even legend that a ‘Highgate Vampire’ lurked through the cemetery at night awaiting his next unsuspecting victim, so if you ever get a chance to visit, be sure to go during the day…and maybe pack that wooden stake, just in case.
Previous Post – Love Your Sport? Love Melbourne!
Next Post – The Best Smartphone Apps For Travellers
How creepy! I love old cemeteries. I should definitely try to visit that one. There are some really haunting ones in Boston that are centuries old. I also love the ones in Paris and New Orleans. Not sure why they are so attractive–I know it’s a bit morbid–but there is something so interesting about them!
They are definitely creepy, I often wonder why I like them so much too! The Boston ones sound great – I’ll have to visit one day – thanks! : )