City of London Cemetery and Crematorium

City of London Cemetery and Crematorium is one of the largest municipal burial grounds in London, set in Manor Park in the east of the city, within the London Borough of Newham. It is owned and run by the City of London Corporation, and the whole site is listed Grade I on Historic England's National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. It is a quiet, spacious place with a strong Victorian landscape character.

Why was it created?

By the mid-19th century the churchyards of the City were full. The City's Commissioners of Sewers bought farmland at Little Ilford in 1854 to build a new cemetery. William Haywood designed it and Robert Davidson laid out the landscaping. The first burial took place in June 1856, but the ground was not consecrated until November 1857, after legal delays over land rights.

Who is buried here?

Remains were moved here from closed and demolished City churches, mainly after the Union of Benefices Act of 1860. Remains also arrived from the former Newgate prison and Christ's Hospital burial grounds, and from churches damaged by bombing in the Second World War. Two victims of Jack the Ripper, Mary Ann Nichols and Catherine Eddowes, are buried here, which draws visitors interested in the darker side of London's history.

The crematorium and memorial gardens

The crematorium opened in October 1904, with the first cremation in March 1905, making it one of the earliest in the country. The current crematorium was built in 1971-73 and replaced the earlier building. From 1937 a Garden of Rest and memorial gardens were added to the original Victorian layout of avenues and plantings.

What to look at

• The main avenues with mature trees and the Victorian layout.
• Historic headstones and mausolea that reflect Victorian funerary customs.
• The Garden of Rest and the memorial gardens.
• The graves of the Ripper victims.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the cemetery? In Manor Park, east London, in the borough of Newham.

Who runs it? The City of London Corporation, the same body that founded it.

Is it still in use? Yes. Burials and cremations still take place, so visitors should be quiet and respectful toward mourners.

Is the site protected? Yes. It is listed Grade I on the Historic England register of parks and gardens.

When was it founded? The land was bought in 1854, the first burial took place in 1856 and consecration followed in 1857.

Is it a good place for a walk? For anyone who enjoys history, landscape design and quiet, yes, as long as they stay discreet around any ceremonies in progress.