Public tours of Brompton Cemetery, located near Earl’s Court, are offered every Sunday in May, June and July. Tours begin at 14:00 from the South Lodge, just inside the Fulham Road entrance, and last about two hours.
The Brompton Cemetery is managed by the Royal Parks and is regarded as one of the finest of seven large, Victorian cemeteries forming a ring around the edge of London.. A formal layout with a central avenue leads to a chapel based on St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Amongst its green walks are over 35,000 monuments – many of historical importance.
Brompton Cemetery has featured in a number of films including Eastern Promises (starring Viggo Morgtensen), The Wisdom of Crocodiles (Jude Law), Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (also with Jude Law), Crush (starring Andy Macdowell), Stormbreaker (starring Ewan McGregor and Mickey Rourke), Finding Neverland (starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet), and Johnny English (starring Rowan Atkinson) .
Beatrix Potter who lived in The Boltons nearby, took the names of many of her animal characters from tombstones in the cemetery and it is said that Mr. McGregor’s walled garden was based on the colonnades. Names on headstones included Mr. Nutkins, Mr. McGregor, a Tod, Jeremiah Fisher, Tommy Brock – and even a Peter Rabbett.
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