TOURS OF KENSAL GREEN CEMETERY
Tours begin on the porch of the Anglican Chapel, in the middle of the cemetery.
The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery offer guided tours of the cemetery every Sunday afternoon from the beginning of March to the end of October,and the first and third Sunday of the month in November, December, January and February. Every tour provides an introduction to Kensal Green, its history, architecture and development, and to some of the many famous (and infamous) figures buried within this great necropolis.
On the first and third Sunday of every month, the tour usually includes a visit to the catacomb beneath the Anglican Chapel: however, with a recent power failure in the Chapel, catacomb tours are temporarily suspended, so all tours from 24 March 2013 will be overground only until further notice.
All tours begin at 14.00 from the steps of the Anglican Chapel, at the centre of the cemetery, so please allow at least ten minutes to walk from either of the two gates. To support the work of The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, we request a donation of £7.00 per person (£5.00 concessions and members of English Heritage). There is no need to book on the regular Sunday tours, unless you are planning to bring a group of more than ten.
Tours last for about two hours, and usually conclude with tea and biscuits at the Dissenters' Chapel, where the Friends' bookstall offers a selection of guidebooks and other publications, as well as postcards and badges.
Tours are offered in all weathers, so please wear appropriate outdoor clothing and walking shoes. Tours proceed at a leisurely pace, and keep to the safest paths, but visitors who have difficulty walking on uneven ground are advised to use their discretion. The catacomb is only accessible by stair, and is not suitable for children under the age of 12.
All tours are led by volunteers from Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, many of whom are professional guides and lecturers. There is no standard tour, so no two visits are ever quite the same. Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery may join the weekly tour as often as they like, at no charge.
Please note that, as the catacombs were conceived as exclusive sites for private interment, photography is not permitted in the catacomb, although visitors are welcome to take still photos on the overground portion of the tour. Formal permission is required to record or film for broadcast (including Webcasting) within the cemetery – please contact the General Cemetery Company directly for information on filming.
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The general tour can be tailored for group visits on any day of the week. The Friends also offer a range of special tours for societies, clubs and schools, on themes including: Ne’er-do-wells Themed tours and tours appended to other events, such as a meeting in the Dissenters' Chapel, can also be devised on request. Private tours typically cost £10 per person (minimum £50) for a two-hour tour concluding with light refreshments in the Dissenters' Chapel. Only the Friends' own trained guides are authorised to lead tours in the cemetery; private groups wishing to bring their own guide must ask permission from the Friends or the General Cemetery Company. For further information, please contact Henry Vivian-Neal, Chief Guide, via the Friends' information line on 07904 495012 (mobile), or The Friends of Kensal Green.
Members of the Sydney Smith Association enjoying lunch at the Dissenters' Chapel before a tour of Kensal Green on the day of their AGM |
