Lexi's Adventures: London: Day 10: Highgate Cemetery, Sherlock Holmes Museum

Today was not a super packed day, but I did stuff for a majority of the time. Also, it was one of the most exciting days for me. This is because I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes museum so immensely. I just barely realized that it existed today and immediately had to go see it. Especially because it was one tube stop away from me and a short walk up the block from the Baker St tube station. We also visited a cemetery, which is supposedly one of the more haunted places in London. It is also where Karl Marx was laid to rest (twice). More on that later.

So we started the day off by heading to Highgate Cemetery on the outer edges of London. These cemeteries started popping up in the 1800's. Highgate cemetery opened in 1839. This place had some amazingly old gravestones. They were quite impressive as well. The cemeteries started popping up as a parliamentary response to the mass graves that were being utilized in London at the time in which people would be buried, even if they had diseases, and then with rain body parts would start coming back up or infecting water supplies. Thus, they created cemeteries because, and I quote, "The dead were being to kill the living". Reasonable enough. And slightly disturbing imagery too.

So these cemeteries started being utilized. This place is over 35 acres, holds 55,000 graves, and about 175,000 bodies. It's massive, to say the least. It has tons of graves in the ground, mausoleums, vaults, etc. It's really cool architecture, but really eerie too. Like, I knew I was being surrounded by dead people and they weren't buried in the ground. Sometimes people would go in and have picnics with their dearly departed inside their vaults. I think what I just keep imagining is the fact that back then they did not have quite the same embalming measures that we do now. Did you know that about 75% of deaths out there result in a cremation now? At least that's what I heard the tour guide say. The more you know.

So there was a lot of different imagery. Pagan imagery. Angels. Crosses upon three blocks (cannot remember the significance of this, but something about getting to heaven). A lot of Egyptian imagery (apparently they were fascinated by this in the Victorian age), they also had pyramids atop some of the graves because then the Devil has nothing to perch up to steal the souls as they make their way to heaven. Victorians were an odd bunch, but their funerary architecture is quite impressive to say the least.

We also saw Karl Marx's grave. It's quite the display. There's a giant bust of his head on top of his gravestone/monument. He was originally buried in a different part of the cemetery, but then they moved him so he could be buried with his daughter. It was quite the grave, see pictures below.

Later then we had an alarming experience on the tube, won't detail that, and then we had lunch.

I decided to spend my free afternoon going to visit the Sherlock Holmes museum that I just discovered existed. This is housed at 221B Baker St, the legitimate address. It's a four story flat that is fashioned just like it would have been in the late 1800's of Sherlock's time, with tons of artifacts. It was just spectacularly amazing. I cannot even describe my absolute joy at being able to see this place. It was completely worth my 10 pounds being able to see what the flat would have looked like. I was further surprised and amazed that it was housed on Baker Street, at 221. What are the chances of that? For some reason, I had never thought that I should actually try going to look at 221B Baker Street until I saw there was a museum while looking at a map. Yes, this is was definitely worth seeing. Look at my pictures below. They don't even capture how spectacular this place was.

Then I had Mexican food for dinner. It was...different. I'll stick with what I am used to. Tomorrow, you likely will not get any pictures, sad day. We are taking a tour of the Supreme Court. We have to plan and pack lightly for tomorrow, because we might not have time to stop by our flat before going to the Old Bailey to see a live criminal trial. The Old Bailey prohibits bringing in any cameras, cell phones, drinks, food, umbrellas. Literally, I can probably just bring in my clothes, my photo ID, and maybe some cash in my pocket. Nothing else... So I won't have my camera with me all day, and likely will not be able to provide any pictures for you tomorrow. I am not sure about Friday either. I am nearing the end of my trip, unfortunately. :(

London Skyline for Waterlow Park

Gates to Highgate Cemetery

Chapel at cemetery

East end of Cemetery

Cemetery

A renovated and clean monument, more what they would have looked like in their original glory

Grave for a young woman who died, hence the chair and the shroud

Egyptian Avenue (they were trying to encourage people to use their cemetery and Victorians were obsessed with Egyptian stuff, apparently)

Egyptian Avenue

Circle of Lebanon

Terrace Catacombs

Mausoleum of Julius Beer

Tree atop the Circle of Lebanon

Karl Marx's grave

Karl Marx's Grave

Top level of Sherlock Holmes museum

Going down

Next level, with Mrs. Hudson's and Dr. Watson's quarters being used to show off bits of their cases, such as these people.

Next level, with Mrs. Hudson's and Dr. Watson's quarters being used to show off bits of their cases, such as these people (That's Holmes and Watson).