The Magnificent Seven are seven cemeteries used by the citizens of nineteenth century London.

In the first 50 years of the 19th century the population of London more than doubled from 1 million to 2.3 million. At this time all London's dead were buried in small parish churchyards, which quickly became dangerously overcrowded, leading to decaying matter getting into the water supply and causing epidemics. There were stories of graves being dug that already contained bodies, and bodies being flushed directly into the newly-built sewer system.

In 1832 Parliament passed a bill encouraging the establishment of private cemeteries outside London, and later passed a bill to completely close all inner London churchyards. Over the next decade 7 cemeteries were set up - the "Magnificent Seven":

• Kensal Green Cemetery - 1832
• West Norwood Cemetery - 1837
• Highgate Cemetery - 1839
• Abney Park Cemetery - 1840
• Nunhead Cemetery - 1840
• Brompton Cemetery - 1840
• Tower Hamlets Cemetery - 1841

[edit] External links

• The National Federation of Cemetery Friends Preserving Britain's Victorian Cemeteries and Burial Grounds
• Photographic studies of each one of London's Magnificent Seven Cemeteries

v • d • e Cemeteries in London Active cemeteries City of London Cemetery and Crematorium · Croydon Cemetery · East Finchley Cemetery · East London Cemetery · Golders Green Crematorium · Putney Vale Cemetery · St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery · St. Pancras and Islington Cemetery · Willesden Jewish Cemetery Historic cemeteries Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries · Bunhill Fields · Cross Bones · Enon Chapel · Hampstead Cemetery · Hither Green Cemetery · The "Magnificent Seven" (Abney Park Cemetery • Brompton Cemetery • Highgate Cemetery • Kensal Green Cemetery • Nunhead Cemetery • Tower Hamlets Cemetery • West Norwood Cemetery) · Queen's Road Cemetery · St Mary Magdalene Gardens