Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park & Ackroyd Drive Nature
Reserve
Tower Hamlets Cemetery,
one of London's 'Magnificent Seven' cemeteries was opened for
burials in 1841. Burials ceased in 1966, and the Greater London
Council took it over as a public park in 1986. With abolition of
the GLC, it passed to the borough of Tower Hamlets.
n 1990 the 'Friends' were formed and since then working in
partnership with the borough council, have been very active in
promoting the park, increasing the knowledge of its wildlife and
its history (led by the East London History Society), running a
programme of public events, obtaining funding to improve the site
for people and for nature, and involving volunteers in dealing
progressively with the legacy of decades of neglect.
In 1993 the Soanes Centre, within the Park, opened offering
programmes of education in the natural environment based on the
ponds and the flower rich woodlands and meadows in the park.
Within recent years additions have been made to the park. One is
scrap yard meadows whose name indicates its former use. The flower
rich meadow now has a chalk maze based on a classical design. The
other is Ackroyd Drive Greenlink on the Leopold Estate; this acts a
green corridor between the Cemetery Park and Cemetery Park and
Mile End Park.
The Park is within a conservation area, is an English Heritage
Grade 2 listed Monument, is a site of Metropolitan Importance for
Nature Conservation. In 2001 the Park and Ackroyd Drive together
became the boroughs first Local Nature Reserve. The 'Friends'
patron, David Bellamy was present at the declaration ceremony.
The site has a network of paths that take you on a tour around
wonderful woodlands taking in unique and special wildflower
meadows. On your tour you will see many birds and butterflies.
Take part in our parks improvement survey and have your say:
For more information please contact the Parks & Open Spaces
Service on 020 7364 2494 or e-mail parks@towerhamlets.gov.uk