The Victorian Arcadia: 180th Anniversary Talk

Romany Reagan gives a talk on 'Victorian Arcadia: A Journey Through Abney Park's History & Evolving Meaning as a Victorian Garden Cemetery'.

This short talk, followed by a Q&A session, presents the history of Abney Park—sharing a picture of the land itself; its place in wider mourning shifts and societal changes; and what Abney Park means for us today as a vital community space.

Victorian garden cemeteries were artistic creations. Architects worked with both landscape and stonework to create beautiful havens of remembrance through carefully designed mourning trees, shrubs, flowers, and masonry. Abney Park has changed and evolved through the ages to serve its community, but from the very beginning has been a unique oasis in the heart of Stoke Newington.

The event was streamed live on 13 May 2020. Watch the recording below:

Download the veteran tree map (Russell Miller, 2013) to see where all of the veteran tree specimens are in Abney Park.

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This recording is free to view, but please consider making a donation to help recover the loss of income incurred by Abney Park Trust due to COVID-19.