Events

We run all sorts of events throughout the year. If you'd like to hear about them first, why not join the Friends of Highgate Cemetery, or sign up for our e-newsletter? Subscribe

WOMEN; LOST AND FOUND. A Valhalla tour

Wednesday 24 July 2019 Sold OutBook now

Rowan Lennon

The often heartbreaking, sometimes exhilarating, story of some Victorian Women, known and unknown, and their struggles with fame, sexuality and exploitation in 19th Century England.

NUMISMAFIA. A Valhalla tour

Wednesday 31 July 2019 Sold OutBook now

Connected by coins, medals and banknotes

Henry Flynn

Douglas Adams once wrote of the interconnectedness of all things, the idea that people and events are somehow all inextricably linked. This themed tour of Highgate Cemetery will explore this notion, and examine how a number of notable permanent residents are all connected by the subject of numismatics. Numismatics unites us all, as we all have a fundamental need for money, but some people have a much closer association with it. The work of artists, writers, sculptors, scientists and even magicians buried at Highgate goes hand-in-hand with the use, design or creation of numismatic objects as this tour will demonstrate…

BAT WALK

Saturday 31 August 2019 £15Book now

Walk led by Huma Pearce

Our very popular annual Bat Walk returns.

The tour sets off at dusk after an introductory talk and will return in total darkness.

Please bear in mind that if there is any rain during the day the bats will not fly. In this event, we will email you and refund your ticket.

Event starts at 7.00pm - arrive in good time!

STRIKING A LIGHT: the match girls’ strike and Eleanor Marx

Thursday 26 September 2019 £10Book now

A talk by Louise Raw

Bryant and May were the producers of matches in the 19th century. They employed girls who were paid meagre wages and were forced to work for 12 hours a day under the most horrendous conditions. To make matters worse, it was a strong likelihood that they would eventually become victims of the disfiguring effects of phosphorous which caused a form of bone cancer. This became known as ‘phossy jaw’. The Match Girls, rebelled and came out on strike in 1888. This groundbreaking strike played an important role in the burgeoning modern labour movement of the 19th century.
Dr Louise Raw is a writer, broadcaster, public speaker and historian. Her book, Striking a Light, tells the story of the match girls. Louise will talk about the strike and how Eleanor Marx was involved with helping Annie Besant, who became the leader of the Matchgirls’ Union.

Talk starts at 7.30pm. Doors open at 7.00pm. Ticket includes a glass of wine.

Pandemic 1918

Thursday 21 November 2019 £10Book now

A talk by Catharine Arnold

‘In the dying months of WW1, Spanish flu overwhelmed the globe, killing up to 100 million people. In her compelling account of the pandemic, author Catharine Arnold describes the inexorable advance of the most devastating disease known to humankind since the Black Death.
In Pandemic 1918, Catharine Arnold recounts the bitter history of Spanish flu through its victims and survivors, from writers and world leaders to those who have no memorial. For this talk, Catharine will be focusing on the impact of Spanish flu on London as witnessed by Virginia Woolf, Duff Cooper, Vera Brittain and many other Londoners.
Catharine’s previous books include Necropolis London and its Dead which was inspired by her research at Highgate Cemetery.
Catharine Arnold read history at Cambridge and has a further degree in psychology. Catharine’s other books include Bedlam, City of Sin, and Underworld London Crime and Punishment.

Starts at 7.30pm. Doors open 7.00pm. Ticket includes a glass of wine.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens

Tuesday 17 December 2019 £22Book now

Performed by Gerald Dickens

In the festive glow of the beautiful Highgate Cemetery chapel, we are delighted that Gerald Dickens will perform his internationally acclaimed one man show of a Christmas Carol. Described as a ‘theatrical tour de force’, Gerald will play over 25 characters in this extra special Christmas event where he brings his great great grandfather’s popular works to vivid and exciting life.

Starts at 7.30pm. Doors open 7.00pm. Ticket includes a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

Opening times

Open daily except 25 and 26 December. Different opening arrangements apply to the East and West.

East Cemetery

The East Cemetery is where Karl Marx is buried. Visitors may roam freely on this side, but there is an entrance charge.

Daily:
10am to 5pm (March to October)
10am to 4pm (November to February)
last admission 30 minutes before closing.

We may close for short periods to facilitate funerals. In addition, for your safety, strong winds or icy weather may occasionally require us to close the cemetery to visitors.

Admission: £4 adults, children under 18 and Members free. School groups £1 per child.

Find out more about the East Cemetery including our occasional tours.

West Cemetery

Admission to the West Cemetery is by guided tour only. For further information and to book, see the 'Tours' section at Visit > West Cemetery

Please remember to allow sufficient time to visit the East Cemetery if your tour is late in the day.

How to get here

Our address is Highgate Cemetery, Swain’s Lane, London N6 6PJ

Download our handy map

By tube

ARCHWAY tube, High Barnet branch, Northern line. (Don’t go to Highgate tube – it's a much longer walk!). Take the Highgate Hill exit. Then either take a bus (210,143, 271) two stops to Waterlow Park or walk up Highgate Hill. It’s then a very pleasant five minute stroll through Waterlow Park to our gates.

The tube system is often affected by engineering works and station closures. Please check your journey in advance at www.tfl.gov.uk.

By bus

88 stops at Parliament Hill Fields. C11 stops at Brookfield Park. Buses 143, 210 and 271 stop at Waterlow Park on Highgate Hill.

By road

There is no off-street visitor parking. Parking restrictions are in place on the surrounding streets between 10am and 12 noon Monday to Friday. After those times and at weekends, on-street parking is free.

Note that there is no access to Swain’s Lane from the north.

Bicycle

There is a bicycle rack outside the West Cemetery gates.

Contact us

Email info@highgatecemetery.org

To find out whether someone is buried here, go to Searches

Telephone enquiries

Monday to Friday
General enquiries 020 8340 1834
Burials, memorials, grave ownership 020 8347 2471
Filming or photography requests 020 8347 2472
Group visits 020 8347 2475
Volunteering 020 8347 2474

You should know...

The cemetery can get muddy underfoot, so do wear sensible shoes.

Photography

Still photography of graves is allowed for personal use only. We don't allow the cemetery to be used as a backdrop for unrelated subjects such as fashion shoots. No video. You can use a tripod, but not on tours.

Animals

No animals are permitted with the exception of assistance dogs.

Accessibility

Visitors to the West cemetery should be aware that the paths are steep, and the tour route also includes two flights of stairs. The East cemetery is on a gentler slope with no steps and predominantly tarmac paths and is more easily wheelchair accessible. A small amount of disabled parking is available outside the cemetery’s entrance on Swain’s Lane. There is a disabled toilet in the West Cemetery. For further information, please contact the office in advance of your visit.

More rules

You can download a full set of our rules here.

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