free things to see and do in London
burial grounds on self-guided walks
Cross Bones Graveyard
Cross Bones graveyard was the final resting place for many of Bankside's medieval prostitutes
See it on the cultural walk
St Magnus the Martyr Church
This was one of the first churches burned down in the Great Fire, but its church yard still stands
See it on the city walk
St Brides Fleet Street
During the Great Plague of 1665, a plague pit was dug within the churchyard at St Brides
See it on the legal walk
Several Victorian cemeteries and pre-Victorian burial grounds still exist within central London. Almost all are free to access.
The cemeteries provide a glimpse into Victorian London and the churchyards are pleasant places to stop and rest, especially on warm summer days.
Burial Grounds
This burial ground was created for use in the Great Plague of 1665. However, it was not used for the burial of plague victims.
Instead it became the final resting place of non conformists - those who practised religions other than Church of England. John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and William Blake are buried here.
It's a pleasant place to stop and rest and there are many cafes in nearby streets.
Nearest underground station: Old Street
place map and aerial view
The area of Broadgate in the City of London marks the general vicinity of New Ground, London's first cemetery.
Established in 1569 on land belonging to the Bethlem Hospital, it was available to parishes who needed extra burial space, not only for plague victims, and continued to be used until 1720.
There's not much to see there these days as the site has been heavily developed.
Nearest underground stations: Moorgate, Liverpool Street
Though the park opened in 1880, it was the seventeenth century burial ground for Christ Church, Newgate Street.
Since 1900 it has been a national memorial to heroic ordinary Londoners who died in acts of bravery.
Many Londoners continue to visit it, especially during their lunch breaks on sunny days.
Nearest underground station: Barbican
The area between Charterhouse Street and Clerkenwell Road in Smithfield marks the site of one of London's earliest plague pits, which was established in 1348 for victims of the Black Death.
The area now includes shops, cafes, bars and parts of the University of London.
Nearest underground station: Barbican
This church yard is an example of the practice following the Great Fire in 1666 of extending church yards to include the sites of churches which were destroyed in the fire, in order to have more burial space.
The north yard is the site of the church.
Nearest underground station: Cannon Street
This peaceful church yard belonged to St Dunstans in the East church, which was built around 1100 and severely damaged in the Great Fire in 1666.
Its a pleasant place to rest, shielded from the noise of London's busy nearby streets.
Nearest underground stations: Tower Hill, Monument
place map and aerial view