Open House London ・ 21–22 September 2019
Volunteer?
check_box_outline_blankOpen on Saturday check_box_outline_blankOpen on Sunday
Borough
Architectural period
Architectural type
Facility
  • Westwood
  • Lodge Graves
  • Westwood Monument and wildflowers

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Thomas Wyatt & David Brandon

pin_drop
Meet in front of ther Soanes Centre. On the right once you've entered via the main gates on Southern Grove E3
place
Soanes Centre. (On the right the main gates on Southern Grove), Mile End, E3 4PX
info_outline
Disabled access, Parking, Refreshments, Toilets

Travel Information

subway
Nearest tube: Bow Church, mile end, Bow Road
train
Nearest train: stratford, Limehouse
directions_bus
Bus routes: 205, 25, 277, D6, D7, 425, 323
One of the magnificent 7 cemeteries. Burials ceased 1966, now 31 acres of woodland, meadows & ponds including the Soanes Centre (Robson Kelly 1993). Of outstanding importance for flora and fauna, set amongst funereal monuments, some listed

Access

Sunday 22nd

group
  • Heritage Tour at 10am, 12.30pm
  • Heritage and Nature Tour at 2pm

info_outline This building is open free of charge at other times of the year

Design

Original design
Thomas Wyatt & David Brandon, 1841
Type
Cemetery, Public realm/landscape, Walk/tour
Period
Historical/contemporary, Victorian, Post-war

  • Development of the Nature Reserve

    Welcome to Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park and Ackroyd Drive Greenlink Local Nature Reserve.

    Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (known locally as Bow Cemetery) is a historic Cemetery located in London’s East End.

    The Cemetery opened in 1841 by an Act of Parliament & is one of London’s Magnificent Seven Cemeteries. The Cemetery closed to burials in 1966. That same year becoming a park, by Act of Parliament. More recently declared a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. It became Tower Hamlets first Local Nature Reserve in 2001.

    Near-by land was added in the mid-nineties, known as “Scrapyard Meadow” & Ackroyd Drive Greenlink. Today it is 33 acres of “managed” mature, broadleaved woodland & meadow. It is also an educational resource to 7000+ school children every year who use the Park as an outdoor classroom. This service is run and managed by Setpoint London East.

    The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was set up in 1990. We have memorandum and articles whose main objectives are to encourage greater use of this inner urban green space as a sanctuary for people, a place of biodiversity, while protecting and preserving the historic content.

    Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park and The Greenlink are owned by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH). The ‘Friends’ manage the Park via a Service Level Agreement with LBTH Parks. We are responsible for the daily maintenance and litter duties. Much of this work is carried out by volunteers through our practical nature conservation events.

    Enjoy the Park throughout the year.

Volunteers' site Participants' site
Open city logo