news

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden New Journal - By HANNAH KUCHLER
Published: 3 April 2008

Grant to pay for cemetery tombs’ restoration

HISTORIC tombs in Highgate Cemetery that house the bodies of well-heeled Victorians will be restored thanks to funding from English Heritage.
A £124,000 grant from the conservation body will pay for work to clear plants, repair the roof, repoint stone work and repair iron gates on an 1839 mausoleum known as the Cutting Catacombs.
Cut into a hill in the older West Cemetery in Swains Lane, the tombs were considered the height of sophistication by upper-crust Victorian families.
But the Grade-II listed stone-columned colonnade was put on the English Heritage Buildings at risk register last year after falling into disrepair.
Work is due to begin this month.
Chairwoman of the The Friends of Highgate Cemetery group, Jean Pateman, said: “The friends have taken on copious projects over two decades and we are hugely relieved that English Heritage has once again offered us a lifeline.”
An English Heritage spokesman said: “We have worked closely with the Friends of Highgate Cemetery during the past 20 years and are very pleased to be able to help on the last of their major projects.”
The catacombs are made up of 15 individual tombs.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: