Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park & Ackroyd Drive Green
Link Nature Reserve
Tower Hamlets Cemetery
Park, one of London's 'Magnificent Seven' cemeteries,
privately ran and opened to burials in 1841.
Burials ceased in 1966, whereby the site was closed as a
Cemetery by Act of Parliament and re declared a
Park. The Park was owned and managed by
the Greater London Council (GLC)
until 1985. With abolition of the
GLC, it passed to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
In 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.
The Park is now a designated Local Nature Reserve and a Site
of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. It is
managed by the Friends via Service Level Agreement with LBTH
Parks.
In 1993 the Soanes Centre, within the Park
was opened. Now run by Setpoint London East they offer
science workshops, using the Park as the classroom. Most of the
workshops are on the natural environment; they all link to the
National Curriculum, and use the ponds and the flower rich
woodlands and meadows in the park. The workshops are offered
free of Charge to schools in Tower Hamlets and welcomes over 8000
school children every academic year.
During the mid 1990’s additions were made to the park, all
located along the Southern Boundary. One was Scrapyard
meadows whose name indicates its former use, now a flower rich
meadow. The other is Ackroyd Drive Greenlink opposite
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, contains
several 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 varied 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,
butterflies and plants uncommonly seen in London.
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