St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery (Waltham Forest)
Brief Description
St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery opened in 1868 to cope with the population expansion in Hackney in the C19th. The cemetery buildings, including its yellow brick Gothic mortuary chapel, were designed by the Roman Catholic architect Samuel J Nicholl who designed a number of RC churches as well as the cemetery buildings of St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery at Kensal Green. By the early 1980s 168,000 burials are recorded as having taken place at St Patrick's. In order to cater for the demand for burials, land was reclaimed by adding a further 6-foot layer of earth over the old graves. Among those buried here is Mary Kelly, the last victim of Jack the Ripper, murdered in 1888.
Practical Information
- Site location:
- Langthorne Road, Leytonstone
- Postcode:
- E11 4HL
- What 3 Words:
- layers.lists.spends
- Type of site:
- Cemetery
- Borough:
- Waltham Forest
- Open to public?
- Yes
- Opening times:
- Weekdays 8am-4pm; Sundays/Bank Holidays 9am-4pm
- Special conditions:
- No dogs
- Facilities:
- Events:
- Public transport:
- Tube: Leyton (Central). Bus: 58, 69, 97, 158
- Research updated:
- 01/11/2003
- Last minor changes:
- 19/07/2023
Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news.
Full Site Description
The cemetery is crossed by tarmac roadways and paths, with trees planted throughout including mature oak, poplar, Lombardy poplar, plane and sycamore. Some areas are quite densely packed with gravestones and monuments. Towards the outer edges of the cemetery is evidence of the two-tier burial system with raised turfed mounds. There are a number of fine monuments, including the striking modernist Ferrari mausoleum of 1965 and also a section for graves of Lithuanians. The war memorial consists of a raised platform with rows of white headstones hedged to the rear, with a white stone monument in the front.
Sources consulted:
Hugh Meller & Brian Parsons, 'London Cemeteries, An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer', 4th edition (The History Press, 2008); Robert Burley, Meg Game, Mathew Frith 'Nature Conservation in Waltham Forest', Ecology Handbook 11 (London Ecology Unit, 1989).
Further Information (Planning and Conservation)
- Grid ref:
- TQ386862 (538650,186250)
- Size in hectares:
- 17.4
- Site ownership:
- St Mary's Catholic Cemetery Co.
- Site management:
- St Mary's Catholic Cemetery Co.
- Date(s):
- 1868
- Designer(s):
- Listed structures:
- Mortuary chapel: locally listed
- On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:
No- Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:
No- Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:
No
Local Authority Data
The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.
- On Local List:
- No
- In Conservation Area:
- No
- Tree Preservation Order:
- No
- Nature Conservation Area:
- Yes - Local Importance
- Green Belt:
- No
- Metropolitan Open Land:
- No
- Special Policy Area:
- No
- Other LA designation:
- None
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.