Thursday- Tower of London and Highgate Cemetary

Thursday we headed off to the Tower of London. We saw the crown jewels, took the Yeoman's tour by a very entertaining Yeoman, and went into the White Tower. This was probably Justin's favourite part because it was full of historical armour and weapons.

The Tower of London

The shard

In the lower right corner you can see the rear end of a lion statue. There are various animal statues made of chicken wire to represent the animals that used to live in the menagerie.

Tower Bridge

We ate lunch at a Wegamama's, a Japanese chain. I had ramyun that was actually okay, but it needed some serious kimchi. We then took a (long) tube ride to Highgate Cemetary. Highgate Cemetary is one of 7 "suburban" cemeteries designed to reduce the crowding in church cemeteries. It became extremely derelict and under threat of being bulldozed, until 1975 when the Friends of Highgate Cemetery bought it for an extremely low amount and have cared for it ever since. I wanted to do something off the beaten path since we were doing so much of the "touristy" locales in London and I'm glad we did. It was awesome, educational, and a nice break.

Waterlow park, which you have to walk through to get to the cemetery.

Highgate UCR church and entrance to the west cemetery. 

It was very peaceful.

Much of the cemetery is derelict.

This mausoleum originally had glass windows to allow the family to check the tombs were undisturbed. They leaked and mausoleum flooded. The windows that they replaced it with were frosted.

Egyptian architecture was really popular during the Victorian period.

Egyptian Avenue entrance with obelisks.

Inner circle of Circle of Lebanon. The tree was an cedar tree original to the Ashurst estate. It was over 300 years old.

Carl Rosa, a German musician that popularized opera in England.

The back of the Beers Mausoleum.

Tomb of Marguerite Radclyffe Hall. The Una in the quote is Una Vincenzo, Lady Troubridge her long time lover until her death. There was a pail of white tulips outside of this door. Apparently a long time friend of the two women sends money to the cemetery to have flowers kept outside her tomb.

Columbarium, where the cremated are....stored? What's the right word there?

I forgot whose grave this is, but it was a furniture maker, and it's supposed to look like a bed. The guy on the left was Oliver, our guide.

St. Michael's

Nero, the lion, on top of George Wombwell, a menagerist. He started with 2 boas he bought for £75, which he made back in a week exhibiting them.

The cedar tree.

The iron top to the entrance to the Terrace Catacombs. It was located where the terraces of Ashurst House, the original estate the cemetery is located. Pictures were not allowed inside the catacombs and mausoleums. 

Mausoleum of Julius Beer, built for his daughter Ada. Inside there was beautiful marble sculpture of an angel lifting Ada up to heaven. 

At this point, the tour guide told us about the Rossetti graves that are normally part of the tour, but they were currently underwater. He did tell us the tragic story of Elizabeth Siddal, model and wife Dante Rossetti.

Tom Sayers, boxer and owner of the pub, Lion. The dog represents his dog, also named Lion.

This is a very unusual grave. The sleeping angel is not common. However, this is the grave of a child and it's strangely fitting.

After the tour, we headed over the east cemetery. Most of the famous...ahem...residents are in the east side. Among them are Douglas Adams, George Eliot, Karl Marx and Ralph Milliband. Both the west and east sides are still working cemetaries, with burials occurring commonly. To be buried there, you just have to specify it in your will and leave the necessary, which can run several tens of thousands of dollars. Better start saving now.

Douglas Adams's grave. It was very simple and just said his name, 1952-2001, and "Writer." There was a pot of pencils and pens left by previous visitors.

George Eliot's grave.

Marx's tomb where he is buried with his wife and two grandchildren.

Marx's giant head.

Marx's original grave site.

I was sad to find out later that Highgate Cemetery was next to London's only Vampire Hunter. I wish I had known before hand. Dinner was a doner kebab, which was okay, but a LOT of meat.