Catacombs Of London
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London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, has several
catacomb Catacombs are man-made underground passages primarily used for religious purposes, particularly for burial. Any chamber used as a burial place is considered a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etym ...
spaces, although the high
water table The water table is the upper surface of the phreatic zone or zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with groundwater, which may be fresh, saline, or brackish, depending on the loc ...
limits subterranean construction. There has been a long tradition of burial under the floors of churches, and during the period of new church construction in the
Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...
many were provided with vaults or crypts under the main structure. In London's private Magnificent Seven cemeteries, opened between 1833 and 1841, there are several purpose-built catacombs, including those of
West Norwood Cemetery West Norwood Cemetery is a rural cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery. One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the " Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of ...
, which has a collection of historic monuments on a landscaped hill. Its catacombs, opened in 1837, were built below chapels and included a group of 95 vaults with private and shared loculi with a capacity of 3,500 coffins.
Kensal Green Kensal Green, also known as Kensal Rise, is an area in north-west London, and along with Kensal Town, it forms part of the northern section of North Kensington, London, North Kensington. It lies north of the canal in the London Borough of Brent ...
and Brompton cemeteries have extensive catacombs built underground, whilst
Nunhead Cemetery Nunhead Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries in London, England. It is perhaps the least famous and celebrated of them. The cemetery is located in Nunhead in the London Borough of Southwark and was originally known as All Saint ...
also has a smaller one underground.
Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in North London, England, designed by architect Stephen Geary. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East sides. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for so ...
is unique in that its "Terrace Catacombs" are built into the slope of a hill and accessed at ground level. Situated at the summit of the Cemetery, it houses 825 loculi under a long observation terrace on which
asphalt Asphalt most often refers to: * Bitumen, also known as "liquid asphalt cement" or simply "asphalt", a viscous form of petroleum mainly used as a binder in asphalt concrete * Asphalt concrete, a mixture of bitumen with coarse and fine aggregates, u ...
was laid, one of the first examples of its use for this purpose in England. The Camden catacombs are an extensive range of passages largely underneath what later became the
Camden markets The Camden markets are a number of adjoining large retail markets, often collectively referred to as Camden Market or Camden Lock, located in the historic former Pickfords stables, in Camden Town, London. It is situated north of the Hampstead R ...
, constructed in the 19th century, which were originally used as stables for horses and
pit ponies Pit or PIT may refer to: Structure * Ball pit, a recreation structure * Casino pit, the part of a casino which holds gaming tables * Trapping pit, pits used for hunting * Pit (motor racing), an area of a racetrack where pit stops are conduc ...
working on the railways. The catacombs also included an underground pool for canal boats. The Clerkenwell Catacombs are a complex of tunnels originally situated beneath the
Clerkenwell House of Detention Clerkenwell (old) Prison, also known as the Clerkenwell House of Detention or Middlesex House of Detention was a prison in Clerkenwell, London, opened in 1847 and demolished in 1890. It held prisoners awaiting trial. It stood on Bowling Green ...
, and once contained 286 prison cells. The
prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where Prisoner, people are Imprisonment, imprisoned under the authority of the State (polity), state ...
is long gone, replaced by the Hugh Myddelton School, but the catacombs remain. Although the space was once open to the public as a minor tourist attraction, it is now only accessible to film crews and the occasional private event.


See also

*
Catacombs Catacombs are man-made underground passages primarily used for religious purposes, particularly for burial. Any chamber used as a burial place is considered a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman Empire. Etym ...
*
Subterranean London Subterranean London refers to a number of subterranea (geography), subterranean structures that lie beneath London. The city has been occupied by humans for two millennia. Over time, the capital has acquired a vast number of these structures and sp ...


References


External links


Subterranea Britannica: West Norwood Cemetery Catacombs

Subterranea Britannica: Camden Catacombs



Camden Catacombs, 21 feet under, in London
* {{Find a Grave cemetery, 658429, Brompton Cemetery Buildings and structures in London
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
Infrastructure in London Subterranean London