Bunhill Fields

Categories: Cemeteries in London | Islington

Image:BlakeGrave-l.jpg
Blake Memorial in Bunhill Fields

Bunhill Fields Cemetery is in the City of London, England. It was used as a burial site for Noncomformists from the late seventeenth century to the middle of the nineteenth century and contains the graves of many notable peopel.

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Historical background

Bunhill Fields is part of the manor of Finsbury (originally Fensbury), which is of great antiquity, the manor having its origins as a prebend of St Paul's Cathedral established in 1104. In 1315 the prebendary manor was granted by Robert de Baldock to the Mayor and commonalty of London., enabling more general public access to a large area of fen or moor stretching from the City of London's boundary (London Wall), to the village of Hoxton.

In [[1498] part of the otherwise unenclosed landscape was set aside to form a large field for the exercise of archers and other military citizens, and even today this part of the manor still bears the name 'Artillery Ground'. Next to this lies Bunhill Fields, the name deriving from "Bone Hill", which is possibly a reference to the district having been used for ocassional burials from at least Saxon times, though more likely it derives from the unusual events of the mid sixteenth century. For, in about 1549, cart-loads of human bones were periodically brought here - some one thousand loads in total - to make space in St Paul's charnel-house for new burials. The dried bones were simply dep[osited on the moor and capped with a thin layer of soil, leading to such topographical elevation of the otherwise damp, flat fens, that three windmills could safely be erected in a spot that came to be known as Windmill Hill.

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Opening as a community cemetery

In keeping with this tradition, in the late seventeenth century some of the fen or moor fields were seen as an appropriate location to be set aside for possible use as a common burial ground for the interment of such bodies as could not be found room in city churches and their grounds, in that year of pestilence. However, nothing came of the plan, and a Mr Tindal took over the lease, advertising the fields as an unconsecrated burial-place close to the City. This proved especially attractive to Nonconformists - those citizens of London or surrrounding villages who treasured the independence of their religious beliefs and therefore practiced Christianity outside of the Church of England, most typically protestant dissenters. Perhaps in acknowledgement of its private proprietorship, rather than any connection to the Established Church or a religious sect, the burial ground was commonly known as 'Tindal's Burial-place'.

Something of these seventeenth century origins can be seen today in an inscription at the entrance gate: "This church-yard was inclosed with a brick wall at the sole charges of the City of London, in the mayoralty of Sir John Lawrence, Knt., Anno Domini 1665; and afterwards the gates thereof were built and finished in the mayoralty of Sir Thomas Bloudworth, Knt., Anno Domini, 1666."

The earliest monumental inscription that can still be seen in Bunhill Fields reads: "Grace, daughter of T. Cloudesly, of Leeds. Feb. 1666." (Maitland's Hist. of London, p.775.) Of greater historical note, is the burial of the eminent nonconformist minister Dr Goodwin, which dates from 1679; and the tomb of the celebrated Dr Owen dating from 1683. Thousands of Quakers (members of the Religious Society of Friends) are buried in the neighbouring Quaker Burying Ground. This was purchased as the burial place for London Quakers in 1661, becoming their first freehold burial land in London.

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Closure

Bunhill Fields was in use for burials until 1855, by which date approximately 120,000 interments had taken place. However, its use had been in decline for many years, and well before its closure, a group of City nonconformists had opened a new landscaped alternative in Stoke Newington at Abney Park Cemetery where all parts were made available for the burial of any person, regardless of religious creed.

As with the neighbouring Nonconformists' ground, the Quaker Burying Ground was closed for burials in 1855. It has been maintained by the Quakers to provide open space around a Quaker Meeting House (the remnant of Bunhill Memorial Buildings erected in 1881 that remains after bomb damage in 1942). Now known as Quaker Gardens, it can be visited on the other side of Bunhill Row to the main nonconformist grounds.

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Recent history

Following closure the old burial ground, its future remained uncertain for a while. Then it was taken over by the City of London in 1867 to be laid out with advice from the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association as a public open space with seating, gardens, and the restoration of some of is most worthy monuments.

The cemetery was damaged by German bombing during World War II and reconstructed in 1960. Today, about half the former burial ground is still laid out and maintained as a public garden with open access, and the rest remains attractively landscaped though enclosed behind railings, to protect the areas with more delicate monuments.

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Notable graves

Notable burials here include:

See also: List of famous cemeteries

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External links