Nestled beside one of London’s iconic Magnificent Seven cemeteries lies its quiet companion, separated only by a tall brick wall. Though similar in age, these two burial grounds couldn’t be more different! As a local, I’ve explored this hidden gem countless times, but here’s a special throwback – a photo from my second trip to London in 2010, five years before this city became my home! Aww, I was such a taphophilic cutie! 😊

Opened in 1858, St Mary’s cemetery joined Kensal Green as its extension and the first London’s burial ground exclusively for Roman Catholics, mostly from Italian and Irish communities. The Italians were settling in London in greater numbers after wars devastated their homeland in the 19th century, and the Irish were fleeing the horrors of the Great Famine. Soon, they were joined by Belgian soldiers from the World War I, wounded in combat and evacuated to London, where they died. And as if that wasn’t cosmopolitan enough, other nations enrolled with time – Commonwealth service personnel from both World Wars, along with numerous foreign nationality graves.

By 1992, the cemetery was almost full, so its southern section has been restored by removing old, untended graves, and raising the ground level, making room for newcomers. The chapel, opened in 1860, still holds regular masses.

Stepping into St Mary’s from Kensal Green, the first thing you notice is that the greenery is… well… noticeably absent. There’s no trees – only rows upon rows of tightly packed gravestones stretch out before you. It’s more functional than picturesque – a far cry from the curving avenues and lush planting of its famous neighbour! Now, imagine the contrast back in the day, when Kensal Green was in its full Victorian glory!

But let’s not be too harsh on St Mary’s – it may be a little shabby, but it has its own charm and two features that actually outshine Kensal Green! First: the newer graves are neatly tucked away in their own section, instead of being awkwardly mashed-up with the old-timers. And second? Porcelain memorial portraits – a distinctly Catholic tradition, and my morbid obsession, adding a touch of spookiness to even most ordinary headstones! 😊

Here’s another Catholic tradition: statues of Christ, Virgin Mary and saints – something you’d rarely find in Anglican cemeteries, where angels are stars of the show. And it’s not just the big names! Alongside St Peter and St Christopher, I stumbled upon St Trofimena – never heard of her before, but she’s a Sicilian favourite, apparently. St Mary’s has also an impressive number of nearly 30 mausoleums – some lovingly restored to their former glory, while others romantically decayed, and honestly, I can’t tell which ones I prefer!

Not much to rate here, I’m afraid… The main drive has a row of exactly six horse chestnuts, and there are maybe ten other trees in total scattered around. No shrubs – unless you count the scraggly boundary line with Kensal Green, which, let’s be honest, probably belongs to them anyway. The grass is always trimmed – neat, tidy and utterly soulless. Definitely not my favourite feature of old cemeteries – or anything else, really.

While I couldn’t find any specific information about wildlife in St Mary’s, its proximity to the adjacent Kensal Green suggests a shared ecosystem… I guess…? I mean, it’s likely that some foxes and birds occasionally cross the boundary into St Mary’s. Personally, I saw only few grey squirrels here, but who knows?

It’s actually quite impressive – a full list is here, and these are my favourites:

A pioneer in nursing and a prominent Black Victorian (born in Jamaica), Mary remains a symbol of determination and compassion. When shocking reports of dire conditions in Crimean barrack hospitals reached Britain, she wanted to help. Denied support by the War Office, Mary travelled to the warzone independently to take care of the soldiers. Celebrated in her time, Mary’s legacy faded after her death, until her grave was rediscovered and marked with a marble memorial in the 1970s.

It’s ‘BEE’ in Italian, not a monkey! Carlo was the sharp-witted Italian-British caricaturist whose illustrations defined Vanity Fair for twenty years. His English was delightfully mangled, his humour outrageously unfiltered, and his flamboyant lifestyle – fearless. Society adored his quirks, and in an era when being openly gay was very risky, Carlo didn’t just survive – he thrived!

Edmonia blazed her own trail as the first sculptor of mixed African American and Native American heritage to conquer the international art scene. Known for portraying Black and Indigenous people in elegant Neoclassical style, she was crowned one of the 100 Greatest African Americans ever. After her death, Edmonia’s legacy dimmed, and her grave fell into obscurity – until 2017, when a GoFundMe campaign brought it back to life.

Beloved for her elegant dog portraits – yes, even Queen Victoria’s terrier, Spot, sat for her brush! – Fanny could also pack a punch. In her late 50s, she ended up in court after bravely intervening to stop a cab driver from whipping his horse – and delivering a well-deserved smack to him in the process. Go girl!

The king of quirky cat art, turning felines into fashionable, anthropomorphized icons. Popular? Absolutely! Rich? Not so much… Despite a prolific career, Wain never struck financial gold thanks to selling his art for peanuts, giving up copyright, and supporting his mother and five sisters – who, by the way, had him declared insane and sent to mental hospital. Louis spent there last fifteen years of his life, while his lovely sisters were taking away and selling everything he painted…

She wasn’t just a spy – she was the spy! Polish aristocrat, and Britain’s first and longest-serving female WW2 secret agent, Christine combined brains, bravery and glamour in a way that James Bond could only dream of. Ironically, after surviving the war’s deadliest missions, she was stabbed to death by a jealous suitor…

Frank Brangwyn was the ultimate artistic multitasker. With no formal training, he dabbled in everything: paintings, furniture, stained glass, ceramics, mosaics – you name it, he designed it. His lifetime output? A jaw-dropping 12,000+ works, including murals that spanned 22,000 square feet, 1,000+ oil paintings, 40+ architectural and interior designs, 230+ furniture designs, and hundreds of etchings, woodcuts, and lithographs. Basically, if it could be drawn, carved, or painted, Brangwyn probably did it!

Immortalised in Madame Tussauds as ‘The Most Famous Man in Britain’, Gilbert was a TV personality, notorious for his rudeness and short temper.

This Irish singer and entertainer was known as ‘THE GRANDE DAME OF DRAG’. He performed both in drag and as himself in theatrical productions, television shows and films, being one of Britain’s highest-paid stars in the 1960s. La Rue was laid to rest with his partner, Jack Hanson.

Drank as usually, John was accidentally killed by his wife Emma, who had picked up a knife and flung it at him from across the room during a fight. Just before passing, he assured the police: ‘I annoyed my wife. It is not her fault.’ Aww! ❤️

This 7-year-old girl had been raped and murdered in the ladies toilet at Aldersgate tube station (now Barbican) on Easter Sunday, a day after her birthday. It was in the middle of the First World war, but this case was so shocking, that serving soldiers forgot about their own horrors to write and telegraph their sympathies to the family. The funeral gathered thousands of people, and Maggie received so many flowers, they completely covered the hearse and two mourning coaches. The murderer has never been caught… More details on this case are in a book FORGOTTEN CHILD: THE TRAGEDY OF MAGGIE NALLY by Nicola Sly, published in 2014.

An Irish mechanical engineer who invented a steerable torpedo in 1874, a gyroscopically-balanced monorail locomotive in 1903, and was working on designs for a helicopter in 1920s! Brennan was buried in an unmarked plot numbered 2454, with a proper gravestone funded only in 2014.

A 23-year-old Viennese girl, who shot herself in the boat train at Victoria Station.

A German spy and the last person executed in the Tower of London, Jakobs was buried in an unmarked common grave, which is now covered over with new ones. The chair that he sat on when executed is currently displayed at the Tower of London. Nice.

This 5-month-old baby had died on 03 December during an operation held at Hammersmith Hospital to separate her from conjoined twin sister, Wariboko. The girls were born in Nigeria and became an immediate media sensation when they were flown to England to be separated. Unfortunately, only Wariboko survived.

The chapel was used in the filming of Miranda episode ‘Before I Die‘.

• There are underground catacombs below the chapel and office.

• St Mary’s is one of only two cemeteries in London that caters exclusively for Roman Catholics, with the second one being St Patrick’s, opened a decade later.

• Over 115,000 out of total 165,000 residents of St Mary’s were interred in cheap common graves, shared with many unrelated people. They were used until the late 1970s, when the cemetery reclaimed them, covered with 12 feet of fresh soil, and started selling as private slots.

• St. Mary’s made headlines recently as the site of murder. On 22 November 2020, MICHAEL MORRIS-OWENS was sitting on a bench near the chapel when Cornelius Tully struck up a casual conversation, only to stab him in the stomach few moments after. As the wounded man tried to reach his car, Tully pursued him, delivering over thirty more bayonet stabs. Mr Morris-Owens was later buried at St. Mary’s cemetery. I was shocked to discover that the killer lived just around the corner from my place, on Harlesden High Street… Yikes!

I couldn’t find any information on paranormal activity here, and I’ve never had any eerie experiences myself – but if you know any spooky local legends or personal stories, do let me know! Next time, I’ll have to make sure I sit on the infamous bench though…

I’m sure that St Mary’s Cemetery, with its fascinating history and unique monuments, would be more celebrated if it weren’t overshadowed by the grandeur of its larger neighbour. Ok, maybe it’s not too scenic, but still worth a visit – especially if you’re a fan of porcelain memorial portraits! Just slip in through the charming little gate on Scrubs Lane – it makes much better first impression that way! And if you’re looking for more reasons to dive into the world of Victorian cemeteries, here’s a must-read for you!

PS. My favourite graveyard, ST MARY’S WILLESDEN, is just a short bus ride away… You won’t regret it!