Abney Park Cemetery

Abney Park Cemetery was the fourth of the eight private garden cemeteries, when it opened in 1840. It is situated in the grounds of Abney House which was once home to Isaac Watts.

For over 300,000 years people have gathered in this area, where Stone Age tools have been discovered along the banks of Hackney Brook.

It's modern roots go back to before the arrival of William the Conqueror, in 1066, when, as a small settlement, it was surrounded by land made up of fields.

In the 1600s wealthy families had large houses, with larger gardens, built here. These included Abney House and Fleetwood House. These houses were purchased by the Abney Park Cemetery Company, so that a garden cemetery could be built.

The cemetery was designed as an arboretum, botanical garden and park, as well as a place of remembrance. When it opened it had over 1,000 types of rose, from Hackney's Loddiges nursery, and 2,500 tree varieties.

By the 1960s the Cemetery Company, which had begun to lose income, leaving Abney Park to fall into neglect. Brambles, ivy and self-seeded trees allowed nature to take over.

Abney Park is now Grade II listed and is designated as a Local Nature Reserve.

The chapel was the first non-denominational cemetery chapel in Europe.

Abney Park Mortuary Chapel was designed by William Hosking and built by John Jay. The open part is where hearses brought the coffins, while inside a staircase led up to a gallery. The spire was the tallest, in the area, and could be seen from quite a distance.

It was designed in a style that was not related to any specific branch of Christianity, so that anyone could have their funeral held here. The chapel, like the cemetery, was never consecrated, making it a popular burial ground for Dissenters, especially after Bunhill Fields closed to burials.

By the 1960s the chapel was in a sorry state of disrepair, but it wouldn't be until 2017 when the roof could be repaired, following a grant from Historic England. 

The National Lottery Heritage fund gave funding for the rest of the building to be restored, between 2021-23. The stained glass window, installed in 2021, was designed by Piotr Frac, who worked with local schools and community groups. The window represents nature in the four seasons.

In 1865 William and Catherine Booth founded the Salvation Army, so that they take God's salvation to the world.

When Catherine died, in 1890, she was buried at Abney Park. Other early leaders of the Salvation Army, including George Scott Railton and Elijah Cadman, were also buried here.

When General William Booth died, in 1912, he was buried beside his wife in one of the largest funerals London had ever seen. William and Catherine are laid to rest surrounded by the graves of many of their children.

Today, there are over 130 Salvationists buried at Abney Park.

This War Memorial was built in 1927, by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to commemorate over 150 Commonwealth servicemen and women by name. Another 71 names were added following World War II.

There are 375 service personnel remembered at Abney Park, with over 140 in marked graves scattered throughout the park. Some of these have the distinctive Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones.

When the War Memorial was built it was placed on top of the catacombs, which were built when the cemetery opened. Catacombs were popular in early Victorian cemeteries, but went out of favour due to the damp British climate. The catacombs at Abney Park Cemetery were bricked up in the 1970s.

This statue of Dr Isaac Watts was funded by public donation, in 1845, and was designed by Edward Hodges Baily.

Dr Isaac Watts was a famous non-conformist Christian minister and scholar. He wrote many poems, hymns and psalms that were very popular in the 1800s and 1900s.

He taught locally and lived in the household of Sir Thomas and Lady Mary Abney at Abney House, for 36 years, writing in the gardens, which are now Abney Park Cemetery.

In 1900 it cost between £3-£15 (£500-2,400) to buy a basic grave plot, depending on location, and, depending on the time and day, burial fees varied and were reduced for children under 10.

Working-class people were usually buried in common graves with up to 20 unrelated people.

Abney Park Cemetery is the final resting place of some famous people, such as: Frank Bostock, James Braidwood, John Jones, Agnes Forsyth, Eric Walrond, William and Catherine Booth, Betsi Cadwaladr,Joanna Vassa, Harriet Delph, William Frederick Tyler, Sarah Norwood, George Briggs, Andrew Holmes Reed and Margaret Graham.

There are over 200,000 people buried in the cemetery, which the London Borough of Hackney took ownership of in 1979.

It is still in operation.