Congregationalists.27 non-denominational cemetery William Hosking

abney park cemetery; every turn of path reveals new , unique landscape. (september 2005)

in 1839 hosking chosen newly formed abney park cemetery company design buildings , contribute layout of landscaped park cemetery serve metropolis of london in parts open burial of regardless of belief or denomination. aim of promoters of abney park cemetery open first wholly non-denominational garden cemetery in europe.

hosking s brief design cemetery s buildings reflect new liberal departure in burial reform, , complement cemetery s historic parkland setting, magnificent arboretum , educational institute established.

to complement hosking s buildings, appropriate landscape setting designed , planted george loddiges. landscape vaguely akin rather simplified version of john loudon s gardenesque style emerged around perimeter, larger part of estate remaining naturalistic , partially sylvan, possibly echoing rural cemetery ideal emerging in america insofar practicable in country landscape no longer relatively unaffected human activity.

the uniquely attractive result favoured loudon, both exception preferred formal style of cemetery design, , pleasure ground style disliked in other contemporary cemeteries such @ norwood. loudon complementary towards abney park cemetery since offered educational park, complete arboretum open free public access, had campaigned in vicinity of london.

hosking s clients, led abney park cemetery s founder , indefatigable company secretary george collison ii, worked him prepare unique design stoke newington cemetery. collison increasingly came view hosking s layout , architectural styles should meet brief of being symbolic of cemetery s founding ideals; reflect fact here first nineteenth-century garden cemetery neither consecrated, nor set out act of parliament, giving both non-denominational character , permitting inclusion of spaces , designs wider educational , public access purposes. hosking s buildings must respect landscape, here, unlike other cemeteries of period, use of land interment partly viewed convenient means achieve other common purposes; of original founders congregationalists shared underlying motivation preserve , encourage interest , appreciation in landscape of abney park spoke them of memory of isaac watts , lady mary abney. promoters hoped burial fees provide revenue meet romantic objective.

although rosary cemetery in norwich had begun pioneer elements of non-denominational approach, had presented partial model (it made no progress on designing non-denominational chapel until late nineteenth century). similarly, other cemeteries date had been able apply term non-denominational in partial sense, lacking non-denominational entrance lodges or chapels. consequently, @ date of hosking s brief, there no european architectural style buildings of wholly non-denominational cemetery on draw inspiration. hosking s brief both novel , ambitious. there no similar model base designs on, other in partially state of progress in new world, @ mount auburn cemetery near boston.