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

All The Living And The Dead

Thursday 20 October 2022 £8Book now

A talk by Hayley Campbell

We are surrounded by death. It is in our news, our nursery rhymes, our true-crime podcasts. Yet from a young age, we are told that death is something to be feared. How are we supposed to know what we’re so afraid of, when we are never given the chance to look?

Fuelled by a childhood fascination with death, journalist Hayley Campbell searched for answers in the people who make a living by working with the dead.

In this talk based on her new book, All the Living and the Dead, Hayley takes us inside the death industry to meet the people at its heart and asks: Why would someone choose this kind of life? Does it change you as a person? And are we missing something vital by letting death remain hidden?

Hayley Campbell is an author, broadcaster and journalist. Her work has appeared in WIRED, The Guardian, New Statesman, Empire, GQ, and more.

In the chapel at 7.30pm, ticket includes a glass of wine

First Blood - Prizefighting in the 19th Century

Thursday 24 November 2022 £10Book now

A talk by Amy Weldon

Prizefighting in the Regency and early Victorian period was a great means of social mobility, down as well as up. Fans (known as The Fancy) were from all classes and it gave an opportunity for those of African and Jewish descent and descendants of African-American slaves - and even women - to rise on the social scale. The infamous ‘slumming lords’ (so derided by writer Pierce Egan in his seminal work Boxiana) could, on their part, enjoy a taste of the lowlife.
Dr Amy Weldon, writer and professor of English at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, will bring to life what can now only be considered an utterly brutal sport.

Starts at 7.30. Doors open 7.00. Latecomers will not be admitted. Tickets include a glass of wine.

Opening times

East Cemetery

Open every day from 10am to 5pm. (4pm close from November - February) Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

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

Admission is by timed ticket which you can purchase here or upon arrival. If you are planning to visit both sides please buy a West Cemetery ticket as access to the East Cemetery is included in the price.

West Cemetery

Open every day from 10am to 5pm. (4pm close from November - February). Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Admission to the West Cemetery is either by Guided Tour or by a Self-Guided visit. We advise booking in advance (especially Guided Tours), but you can purchase upon arrival. For further information and to book, see Visit > West Cemetery

Please remember to allow sufficient time to visit the East Cemetery (which is included in the price) if your tour is late in the day.

How to get here

Please visit us by
walking, cycling, or public transport

Our address is Highgate Cemetery, Swain’s Lane, London N6 6PJ. Download our handy map

Plan how to get here at www.tfl.gov.uk or citymapper.com/london. Public transport may be affected by engineering works and station closures. Please check your journey in advance.

There is a bicycle rack outside the West Cemetery gates.If that's full, there are other racks further down the hill.

Parking

As there is no off-street visitor parking, we encourage you to leave your car at home if possible. 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. We do keep a small number of parking spaces for grave owners and visitors with disabilities.

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.
Only Highgate Cemetery guides are permitted to conduct tours of the Cemetery.

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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