Putney Vale Cemetery

Putney Vale Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in London, England, and is owned by Wandsworth Borough Council. The cemetery is situated near Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common, and is the final resting place of many notable individuals, including Duke of Wellington, Florence Nightingale, and J.M.W. Turner. The cemetery is also close to the River Thames and King George's Park. Many notable British Army officers, including those who fought in the Battle of Waterloo and the Crimean War, are buried in the cemetery, alongside Royal Navy personnel who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

● History

The history of the cemetery dates back to 1891, when it was established by the Metropolitan Board of Works to provide a burial ground for the growing population of London. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a renowned English architect, and was intended to provide a peaceful and serene environment for the deceased. Many notable individuals, including William Makepeace Thackeray, Charles Dickens, and Wilkie Collins, are buried in the cemetery, which is also the final resting place of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement. The cemetery is also close to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts the Wimbledon Championships.

● Location

The cemetery is located in the London Borough of Wandsworth, near the A3 road and Putney Bridge. The cemetery is situated on a hill, providing stunning views of the surrounding area, including Richmond Park and the River Thames. The cemetery is also close to the King's Road, a major shopping street in Chelsea, London, and is served by Putney railway station and East Putney tube station. Many notable London landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, The Shard, and St Paul's Cathedral, are visible from the cemetery on a clear day. The cemetery is also near the Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art.

● Notable_interments

The cemetery is the final resting place of many notable individuals, including Clement Attlee, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and Ernest Bevin, a former Foreign Secretary. The cemetery is also the burial ground of Joseph Chamberlain, a former Leader of the Opposition, and John Profumo, a former Secretary of State for War. Many notable British artists, including J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, and William Hogarth, are buried in the cemetery, alongside British writers, such as E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf, and D.H. Lawrence. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, and Rosalind Franklin, a British biophysicist and X-ray crystallography expert.

● War_graves

The cemetery contains many war graves, including those of British Army personnel who fought in World War I and World War II. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Royal Air Force personnel who served during the Battle of Britain and the Dambusters Raid. Many Commonwealth soldiers, including those from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, are buried in the cemetery, alongside Polish and French soldiers who fought alongside the Allies during World War II. The cemetery is also the burial ground of Russian and American soldiers who served during the Cold War and the Korean War. The cemetery contains a Cross of Sacrifice, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, which commemorates the British war dead.

● Architecture_and_layout

The cemetery is designed in the style of a Garden cemetery, with winding paths and ornate Victorian-style monuments. The cemetery contains many notable examples of funerary art, including mausoleums and cenotaphs designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. The cemetery is also home to a chapel, designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, which provides a peaceful and serene environment for visitors. The cemetery is surrounded by a stone wall, which provides a sense of seclusion and tranquility, and is planted with many trees and shrubs, including oak, beech, and rhododendron. The cemetery is also close to the Wandsworth Museum, which provides information about the history and development of the cemetery. Category:Cemeteries in London