East Finchley Cemetery, London

East Finchley Cemetery is a cemetery and crematorium on East End Road in East Finchley, north London. Although it lies within the London Borough of Barnet, it is owned and run by the City of Westminster. It is a quiet site with a layered history, of interest to anyone curious about Victorian and interwar architecture or the story of London's burial grounds.

How did the cemetery begin?

It was founded in the 1850s as St Marylebone Cemetery. The parish's Burial Board bought the land in 1854 and held a design competition, won by Barnett and Birch, who produced the two chapels, the lodge and the entrance building. The cemetery was consecrated in March 1855. In 1893 the grounds were extended westward, and the new section was laid out on a square grid of paths.

Why did the name change?

For more than a century the site was tied to the parish and borough of St Marylebone. In 1965 it passed to Westminster City Council, and the name East Finchley Cemetery came into general use in the early 1990s. One episode local people remember is its sale by Westminster in 1987. After public outcry and an Ombudsman ruling, the council bought it back in 1992.

What is there to see?

• The Anglican chapel, a Victorian building listed at Grade II.
• The Glenesk Mausoleum, dating from 1899, also Grade II listed.
• The crematorium, opened in 1937 and designed by Sir Edwin Cooper for the Borough of St Marylebone. It is a listed Italianate red-brick building.
• The war graves plot, where servicemen from both world wars are buried. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records roughly 79 First World War and 100 Second World War burials, though figures differ slightly between sources.

What is it like today?

About 22,000 people are interred here, and burials still take place. With its green space, ordered avenues and historic buildings, the cemetery is also a calm refuge for the neighbourhood. Remember that it is a working cemetery: visitors should keep noise down and show respect to mourners.

Frequently asked questions

Where is East Finchley Cemetery? On East End Road in East Finchley, north London (about 51.592 N, 0.184 W).

Who owns it? Despite being in the London Borough of Barnet, it is owned and managed by the City of Westminster.

Is it still in use? Yes. Burials continue, and a crematorium operates on the site.

Are there listed buildings? Yes. The Anglican chapel, the Glenesk Mausoleum and the crematorium are all protected.

Are there war graves? Yes. A dedicated plot holds graves from both world wars, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.