St Mary's Churchyard, Hendon facts for kids
St Mary's Churchyard, Hendon, also known as Hendon Churchyard, is a historic burial ground in Hendon, a part of the London Borough of Barnet. It sits next to Sunny Hill Park and is recognized as a special place for nature called a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. This churchyard is also important for history because experts have found ancient Roman objects and signs of Anglo-Saxon villages here.
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A Glimpse into History
The land where the churchyard stands has a very long history. Some people believe a church might have been here as far back as the 800s! Inside the current church building, you can still see a special stone basin called a font that dates back to the 1000s. Parts of the church itself were built in the 1200s, but it has been changed and added to many times, with the last big expansion happening in 1914-1915.
One interesting memorial inside the church is dedicated to Stamford Raffles. He was a very important person who helped found the country of Singapore.
Exploring the Churchyard
St Mary's Churchyard is a well-kept place with many old tombs and memorials scattered across the grass. You'll find beautiful cedar and yew trees growing there. Along the path leading to the church door, there's a line of old headstones. These headstones are considered one of the best collections of 1700s gravestones in all of London!
People have been buried here for about 700 to 800 years. Because of this long history, the soil in some parts of the churchyard contains tiny pieces of bone. A small section of the churchyard is covered in gravel, which is quite unusual for a Christian burial ground. Today, the churchyard is still used for burying ashes after cremation.
Famous People Buried Here
Many interesting people have been laid to rest in Hendon Churchyard. The oldest grave that we know of belongs to Thomas Marsh, from the year 1624.
Some of the notable people buried here include:
- Abraham Raimbach: A skilled artist who made engravings.
- James Parsons: A well-known doctor.
- Emily Patmore: The wife of the famous poet, Coventry Patmore.
One very tall person, Edward Longmore, who was 7 feet 6 inches tall, was buried here in 1777. Sadly, his body was later stolen. You can also find the grave of Herbert Chapman, who was a very successful manager for Arsenal Football Club before World War II.
Remembering War Heroes
The churchyard is also the final resting place for twenty service members from the Commonwealth. Eleven of them served in World War I and nine in World War II. For many of these brave individuals, their exact graves could not be found, so special memorials have been placed to remember them.
How to Visit
You can easily get to St Mary's Churchyard from Church End and Church Terrace. It's a peaceful place to visit and learn about history.
