Old Mortlake Burial Ground, London

Old Mortlake Burial Ground, also called Old Mortlake Cemetery, is a Victorian cemetery in Mortlake, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, on Avenue Gardens (SW14 8BP). Land was bought for burials in 1854, and today the site is a quiet green pocket of south-west London, with the graves of ordinary residents alongside several well-known figures of the era.

How did the cemetery begin?

The land was purchased in 1854 and the first burial took place that December. Space eventually ran short. In 1874 a Mortlake burial board was set up and bought further plots, and in 1877 the cemetery was extended to the west. The borough council of Richmond upon Thames now looks after it.

What is there to see?

The original chapel was pulled down in 1969 and the old grid of paths has gone. What remains are the original cast-iron railings and the main entrance gates, which convey the feel of a nineteenth-century municipal cemetery. In the south-east corner, an obelisk marks the grave of Admiral Lord William FitzRoy (1782-1857).

The grounds also hold Commonwealth war graves: 21 British service personnel rest here, 19 from the First World War and two from the Second.

Who is buried here?

The cemetery appeals to anyone interested in London and Victorian history. Burials include:

• Charles Dickens junior (d. 1896), son of the novelist,
• Georgina Hogarth (d. 1917), Dickens's sister-in-law,
• Sir Edwin Chadwick (1800-1890), the social reformer, author of an influential 1843 report on the practice of burying the dead in towns,
• Admiral Lord William FitzRoy (1782-1857),
• Admiral Sir Erasmus Ommanney (d. 1904), who took part in the Arctic expeditions of 1838 and 1850,
• the actor Arthur Cecil Blunt (1844-1896),
• Francis Godfrey (d. 1868), waterman to Queen Victoria.

Getting there and what to expect

The cemetery is in Mortlake, postcode SW14, on Avenue Gardens, at roughly 51.467 N, 0.258 W. It is a calm place for reflection, so the usual courtesies apply: keep voices down and take care around old headstones.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cemetery still in use? Yes, on a limited basis. Burials take place in existing graves with the consent of the grave's rights owner, and the few new plots available are offered on request.

Who manages it? Richmond upon Thames Borough Council.

When was it founded? In 1854, and it was enlarged in 1877.

Are any famous people buried here? Yes. The best known are Dickens's son, Georgina Hogarth, Edwin Chadwick and Admirals FitzRoy and Ommanney.

Does the original chapel survive? No, it was demolished in 1969. The cast-iron railings and main gates survive.

Who is it for?

History lovers, family-history researchers, visitors who like to explore London off the beaten track, and anyone who enjoys a peaceful green corner. It combines easily with a walk around Mortlake and the nearby stretch of the Thames.