Context!

Okay yes it’s #1 on the list of “unusual and interesting London sights” on Atlas Obscura. Highgate Cemetery isn’t that obscure these days, receiving a steady stream of Communists, goths, tourists looking for something quirky to do and (very occasionally) actual mourners. Highgate Cemetery is one of the few private cemeteries left in the UK – the bodies interred here will remain for as long as the cemetery stays up and running. Its walls contain a few famous figures, notably Douglas Adams (of Hitchhiker’s guide fame) and Mary Ann Evans/George Eliot, the famous Victorian novelist. But its most famous figure is definitely, indisputably Karl Marx, the German economist who co-founded the modern theory of Marxism (alongside Engels who is much less remembered).

Marx, who lived in exile in London for many years, was buried alongside his wife and members of his family in this private cemetery in the outskirts of the city. Talking to the lady at the desk, she said that he buried his wife here as she deserved a beautiful place to rest after the hard life she’d lived. Naturally he eventually joined her, in a tomb that’s by far the largest in the entire site (or at least the Eastern side of it).

The Experience

Marx’s grave, while not as huge as the memorials to the leaders he inspired like Lenin and Mao, suitably reflects his contributions to history. The complimentary map of the site even highlights his name in big red capital letters.

His tomb is occasionally visited by groups of Communists who come to mark events like his birthday, according to photos in the ticket office. The back of his tomb even has gravestones noting other devoted Marxists who, for whatever reason, asked to be buried behind a much larger memorial. It’s the sort of thing you’d expect to see in a former Communist country, but not London of all places.

The rest of the cemetery is pretty atmospheric, but it does lack in ‘star power’, so to speak. The free map does note the more famous figures buried around the site, but other than the ones I listed above we had trouble identifying the other names. However it’s still a beautiful site to explore, even on a rainy afternoon. It’s lovely to walk through a green patch of London without travelling too far afield.

Although we didn’t recognise many other of the names, it’s fun finding the unique memorials, including a grandiose grave of a high ranking Freemason, a memorial to both a woman and her dog, plus a really unusual memorial that just bluntly stated “DEAD”.

We spent about an hour wandering around before we got bored and went back into inner London to get some refreshments. Other than Marx there’s not a huge amount to see at Highgate Cemetery, but it’s still very pretty and is worth going out of your way to visit if you enjoy attractions that are slightly in the ghoulish side.

Helpful information

• The cemetery costs £4 to visit – at time of writing you need to reserve these online, at least until lockdown ends. Feel free to mention to the receptionist the irony of paying money to see Marx’s tomb. She will find it absolutely hysterical.

• It’s quite a walk to and from the tube stop to the cemetery, which is on the side of a hill. There are gender neutral toilets on site and a water fountain, next to the entrance.

• Staff are friendly and seemed happy to chat about their most famous resident.

• If you want to visit the West cemetery, this can only be done on an organised tour that costs £10 a head (we didn’t bother).

• The ticket office has a tiny gift shop that sells some books, postcards and knick knacks, mostly revolving around (surprise!) Karl Marx.