Brompton Cemetry

The West London and Westminster Cemetery Company, as it was known, was established in 1836 and then opened in 1840 to the design of Benjamin Baud. Regarded as one of the finest Victorian Metropolitan cemeteries in the country, it has a formal layout with a central avenue leading to a chapel based on St Peter's Basilica in Rome. Amongst its shady walks are over 35,000 monuments - many of historical importance. Buried at the cemetery are people from all walks of life, including thirteen holders of the Victorian Cross, Chelsea Pensioners and the community of West London. The cemetery provides a rare haven of peace, beauty and tranquility. After the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, London became the world's commercial capital. Its population increased from 1 million in 1800 to over 2.6 million by 1850. Consequently the inadequate sanitary conditions led to endemic disease and the existing burial grounds were unable to cope. Parliament authorised the establishment of seven commercial cemeteries around London, of which Brompton is an outstanding example. It was known as the West of London and Westminster Cemetery.

The Brompton Cemetery, located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, is regarded as one of the finest Victorian Metropolitan cemeteries in the country. A formal layout with a central avenue leads to a chapel based on St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Amongst its shady walks are over 35,000 monuments – many of historical importance. Also a rich variety of wildlife – including birds, butterflies and squirrels. Buried at the cemetery are people from all walks of life, including thirteen holders of the Victoria Cross, Chelsea Pensioners and the community of West London.

The Park is the Star: The gothic splendour of Brompton Cemetery has been irresistible to many film-makers. The elaborate Victorian gravestones and buildings have been the backdrop for period dramas, romantic comedies and thrillers. The chapel on the Fulham Road side of the cemetery was used in GoldenEye (1995). The colonnades above the catacombs feature in the spoof-Bond film, Johnny English (2003). The cemetery was also used in Mark Peploe's 1991 art house chiller, Afraid Of The Dark. This tells the story of a boy, facing surgery to prevent blindness, who wanders his quiet neighbourhood convinced that a stalker is targeting blind women.  Look out for the Brompton scenes in Stormbreaker (2006), the first film adaptation of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider novels.

Wildlife in Brompton Cemetery: The cemetery is a haven for wildlife including birds, butterflies, foxes and squirrels.

VISITORS INFORMATION:

Opening hours:
    Summer:  8am - 8pm
    Winter:  8am - 4pm

Getting to Bromptons Cementry:
    South Gate off Fulham Rd. North Gate off Old Brompton Rd

Tube:  West Brompton - District Line (Wimbledon branch)

Bus:  14, 74, 190, 211, 328, 414, 430, C1, C3 all operate near Brompton Cemetery

Parking available on site for grave grant holders only.

A Cemetery guide book is available for £4.99 from the Chapel Office on weekdays (excluding Bank Holidays).

Burial Facilities: Brompton Cemetery is managed by The Royal Parks. Burial space and plots for cremated remains are still available. There are four types of facility:

Single burial spaces: Burial space is available in the western part of the cemetery (areas O and P). These are single graves for one coffin.

Family burial spaces:
Burial graves with space for two or three coffins are available in area AK.
A single monolith headstone can be erected of an approved texture, colour, size and shape that is fitting with the character of this area of the cemetery.
Each grave will be on lease for a period of seventy-five years to one hundred years and can be secured any time in advance.

Cremation plots:
The Garden of Remembrance provides burial plots for ashes, in a fine lawn setting.
The area of each lawn plot is one square metre and a standard sized memorial may be set into the ground. Headstones, temporary wood crosses and raised memorials are not permitted.
There is a central reservation where floral tributes can be laid and there is space for up to four interments in each plot.
Plot leases are for a period of thirty to fifty years and can be secured in advance.   

Full size ashes grave:
As an alternative to the Garden of Remembrance we offer family ashes graves in areas O,P and AK.
Each ashes grave will be on lease for seventy-five years or more and can be secured in advance.