Brompton Cemetery

Overview

Brompton Cemetery is a Grade I listed area in London where over 200,000 people are buried. Many of graves feature incredible memorials, including intricate mausoleums and gothic monuments. It’s also home to a wide variety of wildlife. The cemetery is free to visit.

It’s a quiet, park-like area which is perfect for wandering around. You may spot the memorials and graves of some well-known people, too. Brompton Cemetery is one of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’, a set of Victorian cemeteries all within 5.5 miles (9 kilometres) of St Paul’s Cathedral. These comprise Kensal Green Cemetery, West Norwood Cemetery, Highgate Cemetery, Abney Park Cemetery, Brompton Cemetery, Nunhead Cemetery, and Tower Hamlets Cemetery.

Brompton Cemetery also features some beautiful architecture, including a chapel and the colonnades of the Great Circle, which is thought to have been inspired by the piazza in front of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Rome. It is one of London’s Royal Parks, which also include Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and Richmond Park.

If you’re looking to spend some time outside during your trip to London, then Brompton Cemetery should be on your itinerary.

Brompton Cemetery hours

The gates to Brompton Cemetery open at 7am each morning. Closing times vary depending on the season.

Tours of Brompton Cemetery

There are several tours available of Brompton Cemetery. A guided tour takes place every Sunday from March until November and then fortnightly during the other months. There are also special interest tours. For the tours, a donation is appreciated.

There are also tours of the catacombs three times a year, where you can go beneath the chapel. These tours are very popular, so they must be booked in advance.

During the London Month of the Dead in October, Brompton Cemetery also plays host to some special events, including ghost walks.

What is there at Brompton Cemetery?

Brompton Cemetery is a place where nature, architecture, and decoration come together. Inside the cemetery, you’ll find:

Graves, memorials, and monuments
Gardens planted with trees and flowers
Café
Toilets
Wildlife
Chapel
North Gatehouse – an entrance archway
Visitor centre where you can learn more
Great Circle – colonnades framing the gardens

Famous graves and burials at Brompton Cemetery

There are many people from all walks of life buried at Brompton Cemetery. You’ll find artists, actors, soldiers, scientists, sportspeople, and more. As you wander around, you’ll learn more about their stories.

Some of the most notable names you’ll find here include:

Emmeline Pankhurst, pioneer of the suffragette movement
Doctor John Snow, who revolutionised public health practices
Frederick Richards Leyland, a patron of the arts
John Wisden, founder of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack
Bernard Levin, journalist, author, and broadcaster

A Top 100 points of interest leaflet featuring four self-guided walks and 100 sights to see in the cemetery is available on the Brompton Cemetery website.

What movies were filmed in Brompton Cemetery?

Brompton Cemetery is a popular filming location thanks to its incredible architecture and beauty. It’s featured in many films, including:

Sherlock Holmes
Goldeneye
Stormbreaker
Johnny English
The Wings of the Dove
Eastern Promises
The Gentlemen

How long does it take to walk around Brompton Cemetery?

Brompton Cemetery is approximately 39 acres in area, with the perimeter being around 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometres) long. Although walking around the cemetery takes just half an hour, you’ll probably want to spend longer meandering along the different paths and checking out the interesting monuments.

Can I get something to eat at Brompton Cemetery?

Yes, there is a café at Brompton Cemetery called Café North Lodge. The café serves breakfast, lunch, and hot and cold drinks. A percentage of everything spent in the café goes to looking after the Royal Parks.

Are there toilets at Brompton Cemetery?

Yes, there are public toilets available at Brompton Cemetery. There is also an accessible toilet.

Beatrix Potter and Brompton Cemetery

It is thought that some of the memorials in Brompton Cemetery may have inspired some of Beatrix Potter’s most well-loved characters. Beatrix was born in South Kensington, and it’s believed that she spent time in the cemetery, enjoying the nature and wildlife here while thinking about her stories.

Inside the cemetery, there are several Mr McGregors, Nutkins, and Thomas Brocks, as well as a Jeremiah Fisher and a Mr Todd – all names which can be found in her books.

How to get to Brompton Cemetery from YHA London Earl’s Court

Brompton Cemetery is less than half a mile away from YHA London Earl’s Court. The easiest way to get there is by walking or cycling.

On foot: It’s just a seven-minute walk from YHA London Earl’s Court to Brompton Cemetery.

Cycling: It takes about three minutes to cycle from the Youth Hostel to the cemetery. Cycling in Brompton Cemetery is permitted, but only along the Central Avenue.

Public transport: You can catch the 430 or the 74 bus routes from Redcliffe Gardens, alighting at West Brompton Station. The journey should take approximately five minutes. If you’re travelling from elsewhere in London, the nearest tube stations to Brompton Cemetery are Earl’s Court, West Brompton, and Fulham Broadway.