Are You Brave Enough to Experience the Month of the Dead?
Spooky goings on at Brompton and Kensal Green Cemeteries throughout October
The London Month of the Dead is a seriously spooky new seasonal happening hosted in the the chapels of two local cemeteries, Brompton and Kensal Green.
Events taking place throughout October and concluding on All Souls Day will investigate the capital’s relationship with its deceased residents.
Some of these delights, including a visit to the Museum of London’s bone archive, a demonstration of insect taxidermy and a seance in the catacombs at Kensal Green have already sold out, but brave souls can still buy tickets for a number of events including talks on reverence, remains and the theatre of dissection, the life of an undertaker and catastrophes in the capital at Brompton Cemetery or rat and mouse taxidermy workshops and talks on near death experiences and intimations of immortality at the Dissenters' Chapel in Kensal Green.
You can see the full programme here.
Brompton and Kensal Green Cemeteries are part of the "‘Magnificent Seven", the septet of Victorian cemeteries that became showcases for neo-classical and new-Gothic architecture within six miles of St Paul's Cathedral.
The organisers of the Month of the Dead say these historic spaces are suffering from neglect and the talks and workshops will run in conjunction with a fund raising appeal for the restoration of Brompton Cemetery, the 39 acre Grade 1 listed West London burial ground managed by Royal Parks.
20% of all ticket sales will be donated to the conservation of this important site. The Heritage Lottery Fund has pledged a match funding campaign, meaning all donations will automatically be doubled in value and, once a total of £500,000 is reached, a further £3.7m conservation fund will be unlocked.
The London Month of the Dead has been curated by a Curious Invitation and Antique Beat to inform, entertain and provoke on the subject of death and London cemeteries.
October 2, 2014
