Abney

Abney Park is one of the so-called Magnificent Seven Victorian cemeteries in London. And I have to say the lest magnificent of the seven that I have seen. It specialized, if that is the right word, in the burials of Dissenters, non-conformist Christians. At the gates is the plaque recognizing that the non-conformist Isaac Watts lived in the now demolished big house here, although he isn't buried here.

The cemetery lacks the big name burials of Highgate, and the impressive architecture of Old Brompton or West Norwood. It is relatively small, and just a bit more dilapidated than the others.

This is the only actual mausoleum in the cemetery.

And as for architecture well it just has the chapel, nice though it is, plain Gothic revival.

Done my best with the photos - but as you can see below it is undergoing restoration so looks rather down at heel.

There is a sturdy war memorial established after the first world war - rather art deco.

Statue of Isaac Watts

Second World War memorial

Drainage in the park is pretty awful. On a hot dry day after a previous dry day there were still deep mud patches and below you can see how eroded some of the side paths are.

One of the most impressive graves is this lion marking the family tomb of Frank Bostock, one of those famous people who have now been forgotten. Before the First World War he had a travelling show of wild animals, especially big cats (hence the lion), at a time long before wildlife documentaries, so seeing all these animals come to town in wagons would have been a huge event in the early part of the twentieth century. But according to the information board the poor man died of flu while visiting some of his giraffes kept at a small farm. Only 46.

But the best known "residents" now are the Booths, who established the Salvation Army.