Friends & Saviours tour
Join SAVE and Dr Ian Dungavell, chief executive of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust, for a special walking tour through one of London’s most evocative historic landscapes.
This tour will explore the exceptional design and planning of Highgate Cemetery’s West side – from its dignified Gothic chapels to the sinuous paths and ivy-clad mausolea that make it a masterpiece of Victorian funerary architecture. Originally designed to entice families away from overcrowded churchyards, the cemetery offered not just a place of rest, but a setting of prestige, symbolism, and spectacle.
Ian will share hidden stories and open the doors to mausolea rarely accessible to the public, offering insight into how architecture, nature, and social history intertwine in this remarkable place. Winding up a steep, wooded hill, Highgate's dramatic landscape has evolved in unexpected ways since its 1839 opening – becoming a haven for wildlife and a mirror of London’s changing population.
Dr Ian Dungavell is a historian and conservationist who has been chief executive of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust since 2012. Formerly director of The Victorian Society, he holds a PhD in architectural history and a master’s in conservation. He leads major initiatives at Highgate, including a £18 million conservation masterplan and decolonial research projects, promoting sustainable heritage management and public engagement.
Image credits: 1st - 3rs SAVE | 4th Highgate Cemetry
Please note: This tour is for Friends & Saviours only. That access involves steps, uneven ground, and some steep or narrow paths. Not all stairs have handrails. Main routes are predominantly tarmac, with some gravel and grass paths. Suitable footwear is recommended.
