Highgate Cemetery

The cemetery in its original form — the western part — opened in 1839. The Victorian attitude to death and its presentation led to the creation of a wealth of Gothic tombs and buildings. It occupies a spectacular south-facing hillside site slightly downhill from the top of the hill of Highgate itself. In 1854, the section to the east of the original area across Swains Lane was bought to form the eastern part of the cemetery. This part is still used today for burials, as is the western part. The cemetery's grounds are full of old-growth trees, shrubbery and wild flowers that are a haven for birds and small animals such as foxes. The Egyptian Avenue and the Circle of Lebanon (topped by a huge Cedar of Lebanon) feature tombs, vaults and winding paths dug into hillsides. For its protection, the oldest section, which holds an impressive collection of Victorian mausoleums and gravestones, plus elaborately carved tombs, allows admission only in tour groups, but people sneak it whenever they please. Ditionally, the Highgate Cemetery is well known for its so-called occult past, being the site of the alleged Highgate Vampire.