Vacation - London's Magnificent 7
Can you imagine such a rise in population growth that there was
no place to bury the dead? Just think about what would happen?
Think about what actually did happen. Back in the 1800s London's
population increased by over a million people in just fifty
short years. There truly was a lack of burial space. As a
result, there were instances of body
snatching, bodies left out
to rot or not buried deep enough and bodies cleared from graves
too soon. As churchyard cemeteries became overcrowded massive
sanitary problems ensued. Not a pretty sight, is it?
Because there was no room at the inns, churchyard cemeteries had
to prohibit additional burials. There was simply no more
space
available to bury the deceased. The solution? Starting in the
1820s, the "garden cemetery" movement began. Forward thinking
entrepreneurs solved the problem by creating suburban
cemeteries, autonomous of the parish church. These new garden
cemeteries were spacious with beautifully landscaped acreage.
When these large garden
cemeteries were first established, there
were no existing outstretched urban parks, therefore these new
cemeteries became popular places for talking walks or carriage
rides. Then in 1832 Parliament passed a bill encouraging the
formation of seven private cemeteries in a ring around outer
London. The seven cemeteries, now well known as the
"Magnificent
Seven", were built to accommodate the growth of London and also
to ease the indignity of overcrowded graveyards in the city.
At that time, a newly emerging middle class was coming into age.
The Magnificent Seven appealed this group who were eager to
distance themselves from the working class and to present to the
public
its social status.
You see, burial sites were seen as a public extension to the
family's assets. Cemeteries provided a place for families to
establish permanent monuments to themselves. However, many of
the Magnificent Seven, previously considered elite, are now just
overgrown stone junkyards. It's no surprise that creating
balance
between conservation, preservation and restoration is an
issue that taxes most of the nation's cemetery groups.
Nonetheless, there still exist some relatively undisturbed
pockets of many cemeteries which have allowed the development of
unique natural habitats. Cemeteries are now recognized as havens
for gorgeous plants and flowers.
Further many cemetery groups
operate conservation schemes.
If you'd like to pay a visit to any of the Magnificent Seven,
get out your tour guide and visit: Kensal Green, West Norwood,
Highgate Cemetery, Nunhead, Brompton, Abney Park, and Tower
Hamlets.
About the author:
Jay is the web owner of http://www.Rental-Cars-In.com Rental Cars, a website
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