Self-guided tour: Symbolism - Route 1
Take this self-guided tour to understand the symbolism of some of the memorials located in Abney Park.
The tour starts at the entrance to Abney Park on Stoke Newington High Street.
The Victorians used many images and symbols carved on their headstones to signify the person buried below and the passing of their life. Some symbols are easily understood, such as the cross to symbolise Christianity and faith. Other symbols come from the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians or from nature.
There are some that symbolise mourning and others that represent the career followed by the deceased.
This tour will highlight some examples of these symbols and will give a brief explanation of their meaning.
Route map:
(1) THE ENTRANCE
Abney Park is unique in being the first cemetery in England to have an Egyptian revival entrance. The buildings and pylons were designed by architect William Hoskings with the detailed carvings and hieroglyphs designed by renowned Egyptologist, Joseph Bonomi Jnr. (1796 – 1878). Since Egyptian architecture was not linked to any Christian faith this was ideal for Abney Park.
Between the two central pylons, just inside the gates, the cobbles are laid in a circular pattern. At the centre of this was a brass plate laid by Abney Park Trust in 1992 showing in brass the hieroglyph that translates to “The Gates of the Abode of the Mortal Part of Man”.
Sadly, this was stolen shortly after installation. Looking left towards the lodge nearest the railings, you will see this hieroglyph carved above the door.
Other symbolism at the main entrance is evident on the North Lodge opposite. A winged sun-disk flanked by cobras is carved on the coving at the top of the west side. This signifies Ra, God of the Sun and the life force of all living things, with the cobras symbolising sovereignty. During the Victorian era this transformed into more of a Christian symbol, representing the life-giving power of God.
Further symbolism is evident on the coving of the pylons themselves, with finely incised lotus flower and leaf motifs. The lotus was an important emblem in Egyptian tombs and palaces. This flower represents purity. It also closes its petals at night and then reopens them in the morning, making it a symbol for life after death.
(2) MAIN PATH JUNCTION
Take the right-hand path at the first junction and walk up 5 - 10 metres.
Here you can see many types of memorial, from large granite pedestals to the more standard single marble headstone. Abney Park is rich in symbolism despite, or maybe due to, its non-conformist beginnings. As well as the funeral itself, the type of monument placed on the grave spoke volumes about the owner and their social standing. The industrial revolution had made headstones more affordable even for poorer people.
Medieval symbolism was generally inspired by death and mortality itself, consisting of skulls, bones and momento mori, whereas the Victorians chose somewhat more romanticised symbols on their graves. From the mid twentieth century, headstones became smaller with the majority of them lacking any symbolism at all.
Walk up the right-hand path for 25 metres until you see the Bhutan pine on the left. Look to the opposite side of the path, the angel is set back slightly.
(3) KNEELING ANGEL
There are many angels within Abney Park. Generally, they represent messengers of God, guardianship of someone’s soul and protection on their journey to ‘heaven’.
This memorial symbolises many things. The kneeling angel conveys religious devotion rather than mourning and the sorrow of an untimely death. The cross represents crucifixion, it is likely to be carved to stylise oak wood, showing strength, honour and eternity. The rocks represent St Peter and the rock of faith. A book usually symbolises the Book of Life, but can mean the Bible, learning and faith.
Continue up the path for 15 metres and look to the left.
(4) SHIPWRECK
This white stone and marble pedestal is an example of both the profession of the persons buried here as well as the way they died. The now almost illegible epitaph reads - 'The sea shall give up its dead', ' Sacred to the memory of Henry Orfeur, lost with all the crew, by the wreck of the schooner Invoice, in the Bristol Channel, Nov. 23, 1856, aged 23 years. Also John his brother, of the barque Geraldine, last heard of April 14, 1862, near the equator, aged 17 years'.
Continue walking up the path for 8 -10 metres and look to the left.
(5) BROKEN COLUMN WITH WREATH
This pedestal monument for Amelia Ellerm, d.1855 aged 25, is full of symbolism. The fluted column with the angled top is symbolic of a life cut short and a sign that all things decay and break. This is taken from ancient Greek and Roman temples. The finely carved example of the wreath shows ‘victory in death’. The section under the column shows a further wreath flanked by two cherubs indicating the soul. Cherubs traditionally mark the grave of a child, guarding their soul on its journey to ‘heaven’. Below this is a dove holding a scroll stating: ‘thy will be done’. The dove represents love, purity, resurrection and The Holy Spirit.
Continue walking 5 metres up the path and look to the left.
(6) TREE OF LIFE
This relief carving on this pedestal is probably for Elizabeth Symonds who died in 1876, aged 17. Broken trees or plants symbolise ‘a life cut short’. In this case the carving depicts ‘the hand of God cutting down the tree of life’. (The urns on the previous two headstones will be discussed a little later in the tour.)
Continue to the path junction and turn right. Within 3 metres of the corner on the right-hand side of the path is the grave of the Tewksbury family.
(7) TEWKSBURY
Surmounted by a badly weathered urn, this pedestal marks the grave of 8 members of the Tewkesbury family, the youngest of which was only 19 months old when they die
This headstone is unusual in that it has different symbols carved on each side of the pediments. A female figure, mourning over a casket and draped with a weeping willow – showing the grief of an untimely death, the willow means earthly sorrow and mourning. The dove signifies the soul, peace and spirituality. This one carries an olive sprig representing hope. The laurel represents glory, triumph and distinction. The final side shows a wreath, symbolic of victory.
Walk back to the junction and continue across in a straight line. Walk 8 – 10 metres until you see a kneeling angel on the right. This is the tomb of Fanny Mechi and is an example of a solemn female mourner. Directly opposite on the other side of the path is the grave of the Bathurst family.
(8) INVERTED TORCH
This low chest tomb is for the Bathurst family. The upturned torch is taken from the ancient Greeks and symbolises the flame of life being extinguished. A torch with the flame at the top symbolises eternal life, immortality, zeal, and enlightenment.
Continue to the junction and turn left. Walking 5 metres down on the right side of the path you will see an obelisk.
(9) OBELISK
This is an example of a modest obelisk carved in marble. This is an Egyptian symbol for the sun god Ra and denotes eternal life and health.
As you continue down the path you will see many examples of obelisks in many different sizes and types of stone.
Walk a further 5 – 10 metres, on the same side of the path where you will see a Celtic cross.
(10) CHI RHO
This tall, solid Celtic cross carved from red granite is for James Risdon Bennett, a physician and president of the Royal college of Physicians for 5 years.
The circle on the cross represents the circle of life or eternity. The symbol carved here looks like a masonic symbol but actually it is ‘Chi Rho’, an ancient Christian symbol first used by Emperor Constantine (r. 306 – 337). This is made by overlaying the initial two letters of the Greek word ‘Christos’ meaning ‘Christ’. It looks to have been formed with the English alphabets X and P. In fact, it is the Greek alphabet ‘chi’ that resembles X and ‘rho’ that looks like P. The Chi Rho symbol represents both Christ and Christianity and exists several variations.
Continue a further 10 metres down New Road. On the left side of the path you will see a row of urns, which we will now discuss.
(11) URNS
In the Victorian era the urn became a symbol of death symbolising the return of the physical body to dust whilst the soul was everlasting. Urns are often stylised on ancient Roman and Greek containers for ashes. Drapery seen on urns usually depicts the veil between life and death and the crossing of that plane. It can also symbolise the death of an older person, or also death’s ‘final curtain’.
Continue 7 metres further. On the same side of the path you will see a Celtic cross.
(12) CELTIC CROSS
Here you can see a large grey granite carved cross.
The Celtic cross is a powerful representation of the bridge between Heaven and Earth. The Celts believe in the power of earth, wind, fire and water. The circle means faith and eternity and is mainly found on Celtic crosses.
Walk another 3 metres. On your right you’ll see another memorial laden with symbolism.
(13) TALLENT
This spectacular neo-gothic memorial carved in black granite and marble for the Tallent family is also a Commonwealth War grave.
The anchor symbolises hope, safety and / or a seaman. The crown symbolises the glory of life after death. IHS represents an abbreviation of one (or all) of the following – Iesus Hominum Salvator (Greek for Saviour of Men’) – In Hoc Signo (Classical Latin meaning ‘In this sign thou shalt conquer’) – In Hac (Cruce) Salus (In this (Cross) is Salvation. The Fleur-de-lys is a stylised version of a wild lily that symbolises perfection, life, light and royalty. The three petals can also represent the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit.
The next stop is 15 metres further on. The family tomb of John and Elizabeth Jones is located on the right-hand side of the path.
(14) HAND UPWARDS
This elongated obelisk of grey granite surmounted by an upward pointing hand symbolises life after death and ascension to heaven for the righteous. A downward pointing hand does not indicate the direction of ‘travel’, rather the hand of God reaching for the soul. It can also represent a sudden death.
The final stop on this tour is at the end of New Road. Look across the path and slightly to the right.
(15) ANGELS
Here you can see a depiction of an angel escorting the deceased to heaven.
This marks the end of our tour and from here you can either take a walk around the rest of the park or walk back towards the Stoke Newington High Street gate.
If you enjoyed this walk, why not check out our other self-guided tours.