The History
Brompton Cemetery, one of the Magnificent Seven Victorian cemeteries, stands out as a garden cemetery that offers a unique blend of historical monuments, serene green spaces, and captivating stories of the individuals buried there. he cemetery’s official website also provides four self-guided walks: The Top 25, Garden Cemetery, Heroes and Pioneers, and Creative Characters.
Different from Highgate Cemetery, Brompton Cemetery is the only cemetery in the country owned by the Crown and managed by The Royal Parks on behalf of the nation. According to its website,
“With over 700,000 visits a year, it offers valuable open space in a densely-populated city; its 39 acres provide a rare peaceful haven for wildlife and visitors alike. Brompton Cemetery is designated Grade I on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens, has several Listed Buildings, and is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance”.
One more interesting and especially hidden part was its catacombs in the Cemetery. In comparison to those grandest and most expensive memorials, the underground catacombs were not that popular. I came across an interesting article titled “Visiting the catacombs under Brompton Cemetery” online, written by Ian, which provides a detailed explanation of what visitors can expect to see in the catacombs. Even more interesting is one of his observations:
“The guide, who was one of the founders of the friends – and has ancestors buried in the cemetery – said that they would be delighted to have a modern internment in the catacombs as no one has taken a spot there almost since it was opened.
Something to consider if you want to become a permanent tourist attraction in your death”.
It offers a marvellous reflection on this hidden gem. It makes one wonder if any tourism scholars have considered exploring the continuity of dark tourism studies in relation to death and cemeteries in the future.
Dark Tourism
Over the past three decades, dark tourism has garnered increasing interest among scholars, focusing on burial sites, monuments, battlefields, and other commemorative practices. While numerous journal articles have explored tourists’ motivations in this field, visiting cemeteries remains a niche market. From a marketing perspective, promoting cemetery tourism may not be a preferred strategy for destinations that have a wealth of other appealing heritage sites and cultural events. Additionally, issues of morality can arise, leading to critiques of tourists’ behaviour and turning the cemetery into a contested site.
A video about the restoration of Brompton Cemetery could be found online.
Two interesting Podcasts could also be found online – Episode 12: “Women in the Parks” and Episode 8: “Parks and War”.
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