Don’t think me strange. Or morbid. I woke up today and felt like seeing Highgate. Cemetery, that is.
Highgate Cemetery is renowned for its angel statuaries. I used to be enthralled with all things Victorian/Edwardian. From Gothic literature to the civility and mannerisms of the time, from the S-curve silhouettes and corsets of the ladies to the top hats, tails, monocle and watch fobs of the gents.
With that in mind, I always used to say, “Wouldn’t it awesome if men walked around in capes?” Of course, it was also me that said out loud, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if people just broke out in song and dance?” Yeah. But, I digress.
Be it Hollywood depiction, combined with my love of costume and fashion design background, I was drawn visually to movies like, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Sleepy Hollow and how the idea for Frankenstein was born in Ken Russell’s Gothic.
One of my favourite music videos ever is Nine Inch Nail’s The Perfect Drug – so very gothic with its absinthe and the downward spiral of despair and of being haunted. I liked Edward Gorey’s art. I’ve read Lord Byron’s biography, Henry James’ ghost novella, The Turn of the Screw and have a couple favourite memorized qoutes from Oscar Wilde.
That whole era, repressed and yet decadent, with its sense of tragic-ness was something I had been drawn to and romanticized after high school. That, coupled with my interest in art and sculpture and angelic lore made Highgate Cemetery a point of interest to visit on this trip.
Now I don’t make it a habit on my vacations to see cemeteries. I’ve been to LA a few times and I never wanted to go to Forest Lawn, Forever Hollywood cemetery or Westwood Village Memorial. But I’ll admit, I will be checking out Pere Lachaise in Paris.
The best way to get to Highgate Cemetery is to cut through Waterlow Park, about 25 minutes away from Central London on the Northern line. What I didn’t know when I got there was that there’s 2 parts to the cemetery, the older west side and the newer east side. The western part, because of the fragility of its tombs, mausoleums and graves require viewings as an escorted tour, which is only held at 2pm and must be booked in advanced. Across Swain’s Lane, you could walk through the eastern part on your own, and it is this side that has more of the angel statuaries.
So in sunny and humid 26c weather, I walked the 1km circuit. I was in awe of some of the statues there. Beautiful, striking, peaceful and though silent, conveyed messages carried through time. There are many illustrious internments there: author George Eliot of Middlemarch, author Douglas Noel Adams of Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy fame and the most famous, Karl Marx.
There was this section of the walk which had lots of the same gravemarkers, from the edge of the path, extending far back into the shrubbery of the woods. I felt so empty that the graves were so old, faded and neglected, devoid of statues or accroutements, that it did unnerved me. It was like no one cared about this section. The grass was unattended and this section felt so hidden (perhaps that’s what the intent was) and although it was sunny, birds were chirping, this one section, with no one but me on the long stretch of path, gave me a strange and slightly unsettled feeling. Could it be because it was heavily shaded and secluded by tall trees and bush and I was by myself, knowing where I’m at?
As soon as I rounded that path, got back into the sunshine and saw 2 people ahead of me, I felt more at ease again. Too much thinking and fear can grow or the mind can play tricks on you, I suppose. Maybe, I’m still not comfortable facing my own mortality.
I’m planning on going back to check out the western side because I want to see the circle of Lebanon. Also, here interred is, the Pre-Raphaelites’ Dante Gabriel Rosetti and the muse and model, Elizabeth Siddal. Being that the Pre-Raphaelites period is my favourite period when I studied art history, I’d like to pay respect to this woman who inspired such great works of art.
But for now, I exited Highgate Cemetery and walked back through Waterlow Park, taking in the peal of kids laughter, passing a group of young men playing football, smiling at new parents playing with their babies, watching dogs panting in the shade and friends sitting on benches, shooting the breeze. And I left the park, ever thankful and appreciating life a little more today.
View more photos of my trip on my Flickr album.
Hours:
Daily: 10am-5pm
Closed Dec 25-26
Address:
Swain’s Ln
Highgate, London N6 6PJ
GPS coordinates: 51.5669304, -0.1492596
No Comments