Lansdown Cemetery

Lansdown Cemetery is a historic burial ground on Lansdown Hill, just outside Bath in Somerset, England. It is inseparable from Beckford's Tower, the neo-classical folly that rises beside it, and together the two form one of the most unusual memorial landscapes in the city.

What is Lansdown Cemetery?

The cemetery was consecrated in 1848 and holds more than 5,000 graves, among them the resting places of many well-known residents of Bath. It is not a typical parish churchyard. It grew up around a tower built as a private retreat, and the story of how it came to exist is part of its appeal.

Both the cemetery and the tower are protected. The tower and its attached railings are Grade I listed, and the cemetery together with the tower is included on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England, at Grade II. The joint entry was designated on 30 April 1987.

Who was William Beckford, and why is he buried here?

William Beckford was a wealthy collector and writer who lived in Bath. After buying two houses in Lansdown Crescent, he bought land on Lansdown Hill and commissioned the local architect Henry Edmund Goodridge (1797-1864) to design a tower there. Originally called Lansdown Tower, it was completed in 1827.

Beckford had hoped to be buried on his own land, but the ground was unconsecrated. When he died in 1844 he was instead buried in the Bath Abbey cemetery, in front of the chapel, in a large granite sarcophagus standing above ground.

How did the cemetery come about?

After Beckford's death the tower was due to be sold to an innkeeper. His daughter, the Duchess of Hamilton, stepped in and bought it back. She then gave the tower and the surrounding grounds to the former parish of Walcot, on one condition: that a cemetery be created so her father's tomb could be returned to his own land.

The parish agreed. The new cemetery was consecrated in 1848, the tomb was moved there, and the tower was converted into a mortuary chapel.

What can you see today?

Beckford's granite tomb is the best-known monument. It sits isolated on its own island, surrounded by elaborate and varied memorials from the Victorian era onward. The grave of his architect, Henry Edmund Goodridge, is also here.

Walking the paths, you can read inscriptions, compare monument styles and enjoy the views typical of a hilltop site. The tower beside the cemetery is the focal point, and the two are best seen together.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Lansdown Cemetery? On Lansdown Hill, on the edge of Bath, Somerset, next to Beckford's Tower.

Who is buried at Lansdown Cemetery? William Beckford, his architect Henry Edmund Goodridge and many other well-known Bath residents. There are more than 5,000 graves in total.

When was the cemetery consecrated? In 1848, when Beckford's tomb was brought back from the Abbey cemetery.

Is it a protected site? Yes. Beckford's Tower is Grade I listed, and the cemetery with the tower is on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens at Grade II.

What is the connection to the tower? The tower was built in 1827 as Beckford's retreat and became the cemetery's mortuary chapel after the cemetery was founded.

Is it worth a visit? For anyone interested in Georgian and Victorian Bath, architecture or quiet historic places away from the city centre, yes. It pairs naturally with a visit to the tower.