We’ve all heard of Stephen King’s pet cemetery, where the soil mysteriously brings dead back to life… Well, the one hidden in Hyde Park doesn’t have that feature, but what it does offer is a fascinating glimpse into Victorian London. I’m always shocked when people have no idea it even exists – this unusual place has so many tails… ekhm, tales to tell!

If you think Hyde Park is busy now, you should’ve seen it back in the 19^th century!

Originally Henry VIII’s private hunting grounds, it opened to the public (well, the wealthy one) in 1637, but didn’t really take off until 1670, when a busy mile-and-a-half stretch crossing its grounds became England’s first artificially lit highway. By the beginning of the 18th century, Rotten Row (actually Route de Roi – fancy French for ‘King’s Road’), became a popular evening meeting point for London’s high society. Then, Serpentine Lake created in 1830s, sealed Hyde Park as the place for London’s elite to see and be seen. In Victorian times, the posh crowd flocked there daily during the ‘fashionable hours’, rubbing shoulders with politicians, celebrities, artists, business moguls, and anyone who was someone.  

Rotten Row was reserved for royal carriages, but saddle horses were allowed, making it the go-to place for fancy ladies and gents to show off their riding skills. The Lady’s Mile, running alongside the Serpentine, became a catwalk for new dresses, with options to stroll gracefully, or lounge in a carriage in the most flattering pose. The Ring – a circular drive – was the ultimate route for a stylish spin around the park. There was also a separate path for cyclists, boats were available for hire, and in winter, the Serpentine turned into an ice rink, adding yet another way to flaunt your style and status!

One of Hyde Park’s regulars was the Lewis-Barned family, who lived in a grand house nearby with their little Maltese terrier, Cherry. They befriended Mr Winbridge, the park’s gatekeeper – a charming old gent who used to serve Prince George (Queen Victoria’s cousin) and was rewarded for years of loyalty with a cosy position at Victoria Lodge, where he made a living by selling ginger beer and lollipops to visitors.

Since Cherry was so fond of the park, when the pup passed away, the family asked Mr Winbridge if they could bury his remains in a favourite spot in lodge’s garden, instead of  their own. The kind gatekeeper agreed, and a tiny tombstone is still marking Cherry’s resting place.

With all the carriages, horses, and bustling crowds, accidents were quite common in Hyde Park – especially for the poor Victorian pups… One day, Prince George stopped by Victoria Lodge to catch up with his old friend. While they were chatting, his wife’s dog (also named Prince – yup, Prince the Prince’s dog!) ran into the road and was crashed by a carriage wheel… Mr Winbridge rushed to save the little Yorkshire terrier, but it was too late. He carried the poor fluff into the lodge, and buried him in the garden, right next to Cherry.

Word about the royal dog cemetery spread quickly, and soon Mr Winbridge found his garden filling up with more furry friends than flowers, as every London socialite wanted their pets laid to rest in this prestigious location! Thanks to all the fancy pups, kitties, birds and even a few monkeys, the cemetery hit its full capacity in 1903 and has been officially closed. Of course, a few VIP pets with well-connected owners still managed to squeeze in, filling in the gaps in the existing rows of headstones… The last burial took place in 1976.

There’s no register, so nobody knows how many animals are buried here or how many of them lie together in each slot – apparently, it’s about 1000 of them in 475 graves.

Tucked away in a cozy corner of the park, this miniature cemetery with rows of tiny tombstones is way smaller than I imagined, but oh-so-charming! Nestled within thick bushes, keeping curious passersby from snooping through the fence, it makes you completely forget about the busy street and crowded park you’re actually in. Thanks to being closed to the public, it’s better preserved than London’s human gardens of death.

The headstones here are simple and mostly the same size and shape, with only a few standing out. The inscriptions look just like those on human graves, with phrases like ‘here lies’ and ‘rest in peace’ – but the most touching ones are filled with love, like ‘OUR DARLING FLUFF’.

Mr Winbridge took great care of his garden, sprucing it up with colourful flowers and lush foliage. A cute little greenhouse in the corner, where grieving pet owners could pick up a fresh floral tribute, is still standing. These days, The Royal Parks charity keeps the place looking sharp. The thick bushes around are neatly trimmed, and the grass and ferns are kept in check, so the headstones really stand out, adorned with ivy – and if you visit in spring, you’ll be treated to a stunning display of bluebells between them!

I visited the cemetery on a rainy April day, with a group of almost 20 people, and honestly, I didn’t have chance to notice any wildlife, being too busy with desperately trying to take pictures with my dripping wet phone, which I had to dry with a tissue every few seconds, while juggling an umbrella wedged under my arm, as I needed both hands. All of these while doing some weird squats to nail a perfect shot which doesn’t include anyone else’s bum!

But hey, with Hyde Park’s 350 acres of unique habitats and ecosystems, I’m sure the cemetery section is also buzzing with life – and not only during guided tours! I can totally picture it in summer, full of butterflies fluttering around wildflowers, and with bees buzzing while songbirds like wrens and robins peek out from the shrubs… There must be squirrels and pigeons hanging around as well!

This beloved Maltese terrier of the Lewis-Barned family was a fluffy star of many theatrical performances directed by his human siblings, patiently bearing dressing up in elaborate outfits. In his most famous role of a soldier, he was tucked into a mini-uniform, completed with a helmet and musket. In another show, Cherry was pushed around the scene in a pram, as a sick baby. No images are known, but I’m pretty sure, that a tiny bonnet and lots of frills were involved. Since Hyde Park was Cherry’s favourite hangout, he was laid to rest there, in the gatekeeper’s garden making him the very first resident of England’s first pet cemetery.

This Yorkshire terrier belonged to Sarah Fairbrother, wife of Prince George (the Duke of Cambridge and Queen Victoria’s cousin). One day, while Prince (the human) was catching up with his old mate Mr. Winbridge, the friendly gatekeeper, Prince (the dog) dashed into the road and met a tragic fate under a passing carriage. He died in the lodge and joined Cherry in the back garden. His human parents, by the way, are in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Another cherished pooch of the Lewis-Barned family. When she crossed the rainbow bridge, Mr. Lewis-Barned, trying to cheer up his grieving family, penned a cheeky autobiography ‘written’ by Zoe herself, recounting her biggest adventures, including a hilarious incident in which she was stolen! 

His daddy, Lord William Petre, was so heartbroken when his furry friend passed away, that after having Tappy’s body sent to Mr. Winbridge for burial, and promising to attend the ceremony the next morning, His Lordship didn’t make it… In a tragic twist, Petre died that night, just 46 years young.

This mischievous fox terrier belonged to the Hyde Park Police Station. A great escapist, he was often ditching cop buddies for the high-society folks on Rotten Row. Unfortunately, Topper was addicted to gourmet snacks and died from overeating.

A victim of a mysterious murder, Balu was ‘POISONED BY A CRUEL SWISS’. Unfortunately, the details of his tragic story have been lost in time…

This doggo’s human mum was Lily Hanbury, a once-famous English actress, whose talented grandchildren and great-grandchildren (the Fox clan: Edward, James, Freddie, Emilia, and Laurence) are still performing on stage and in films.

Yup, this one didn’t age well – unlike Ginger himself, who lived to the ripe old age of 24 years, which is about 116 in cat years!

You can’t help but feel moved by the heartfelt inscriptions on these mini tombstones. Each furry and feathery friend laid to rest here was someone’s cherished companion, immortalised thanks to the famous Victorian sentimentality.

‘HERE LIE TWO FAITHFUL CREATURES, SNAP AND PETER – WE ARE ONLY SLEEPING, MASTER’

‘DARLING DOLLY – MY SUNBEAM, MY CONSOLATION, MY JOY’

‘IN MEMORY OF OUR DARLING LITTLE BOBBIT – WHEN OUR LONELY LIVES ARE OVER AND OUR SPIRITS FROM THIS EARTH SHALL ROAM, WE HOPE HE’LL BE THERE WAITING TO GIVE US A WELCOME HOME’

And all these quirky, gorgeously old-fashioned pet names! Barnie, Bijou, Bibi, Chin Chin, Chips, Freeky, Fatty, Goofy, Minnie, Monty, Pippin, Pupsey, Sammie, Topsy, Yum Yum, Zeno, Zizi… And one of my favourites: ‘DEAR WEE BUTCHA’ – I bet he was a killer chihuahua!

There are few a bit alarming ones too, like Nigger and Scum… Honestly, what were their owners thinking???

This Victorian curiosity makes a cameo in The Little White Bird (1902), a prequel to Peten Pan stories, by James Matthew Barrie. He lived next to Hyde Park and visited it often with his dog, Porthos.

It also popped up in a few films, including The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973) directed by Anthony Simmons, who also wrote a novel upon which the film is based. It’s a story is about Sam, a former music hall artist who now performs on the streets of London with his beloved elderly dog, Bella. He strikes up a friendship with two kids, and takes them to visit the Hyde Park pet cemetery, where he’s planning to bury Bella someday. When she actually dies, Sam is too drunk to do it, so children take the dog’s body by themselves, sneak into the cemetery at night and bury it there. How lovely.

• The cemetery offers a fascinating glimpse into a shift in how we see our furry friends. Did you know that it was the Victorians who changed the game when it came to pets? Before that, up to early 1800s, animals were seen as property, kept around for specific tasks, rather than as companions. With the Victorian love for a cosy domestic life, attitudes started to shift. People realised that pets could teach their kids responsibility and build the character, so they invited them into homes as cherished family members. Even Queen Victoria, who famously wasn’t a fan of her own children, had a soft spot for her pups – Sharp, Flo and Spot!

• The lodge garden may be the UK’s first public pet cemetery, but let’s not forget that aristocrats living in fancy country estates, had been traditionally burying their beloved animals (including horses!) in dedicated sections of their grounds long before Cherry moved in between Mr Winbridge’s flower beds.

• Some sources claim that the old gatekeeper operated the cemetery as a philanthropic gesture, other – that it was his lucrative side-business. Sadly, he kept no records, so we will never know…

• George Orwell (the one from Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four) after visiting the cemetery described it as ‘perhaps the most horrible spectacle in Britain’.

This little cemetery is haunted by the spirits of dogs, who suffered extremely tragic deaths – trampled by horses, squashed by carriage wheels, or murdered. Passers-by have reported hearing eerie noises and catching glimpses of ghostly doggy-like figures running around the lodge.

And that’s not all! There are also spooky stories about the phantoms of those who swung on the nearby Tyburn Gallows (or were executed there in some other, more gruesome ways) still roaming the park’s grounds… Hyde Park, like all the other green spaces in London, is apparently swarming with earth-bound spirits, who either were killed there, loved the place in life, or are attracted by the vibrant energy of the crowds of living. You better keep your senses sharp when picnicking with friends…

Hyde Park’s pet cemetery is a delightful Victorian curiosity, but here’s the catch – it’s not open to the public! You can only visit it as a part of the guided tour, The Hidden Stories of Hyde Park, offered by Royal Parks – an hour-and-a-half stroll, with the cemetery being the grand finale. Keep an eye on the park events page for upcoming dates, since they only run few times a year!

Alternatively, if you’re feeling adventurous and not too squeamish about spiders, you can have a sneak peek through the iron railings on Bayswater Road… It works better in winter months, though. But seriously, do yourself a favour and just book that tour for 15 quid. You won’t regret it, I promise!

Did you know about that cemetery, or have you ever been there? Let me know in the comments!

Ps. Check this great article by Royal Parks, with awesome archival pictures featuring Mr Winbridge! And another one, Pet Cemeteries in the Victorian Era, written by Megan Crutchley for Retrospect Journal, exploring changing attitudes towards animals in that period.