Hornsey Rise

Karl Marx

Hornsey Rise · 0.6 miles

A Grade I listed monument stands in the Eastern part of Highgate Cemetery, North London, close to Hornsey Rise. The memorial, dedicated to Karl Marx, his wife Jenny von Westphalen and other family members, consists of a large bronze bust of Marx’s head and shoulders set on a marble plinth. The front of the plinth bears the closing line of *The Communist Manifesto* – “Workers of all lands unite” – while the side panels display further quotations and the dates of birth and death for those interred. The bodies were originally laid to rest elsewhere in the Eastern cemetery after Marx’s death on 14 March 1883. In 1954 the Marx Memorial Committee secured an exhumation licence and, during the night of 26/27 November, the remains of Marx, his wife, daughter Eleanor, grandson Harry Longuet and housekeeper Helene Demuth were moved about 100 yards to the present site. Laurence Bradshaw designed the new tomb, and the Communist Party of Great Britain funded its construction. The memorial was unveiled on 15 March 1956 in a ceremony led by the party’s General Secretary, Harry Pollitt. Entry to Highgate Cemetery is controlled by the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust, which charges an admission fee to support upkeep; the tomb itself is owned by the Marx Grave Trust. The site has experienced several acts of vandalism, including painted swastikas in 1960, bomb attempts in the 1970s, blue paint in 2011 and attacks in February 2019. In response, 24-hour video surveillance has been installed around the monument. Visitors can reach the cemetery via public transport to the nearby Hornsey Rise area and follow the designated pathways to the memorial.

Hampstead Heath

Highgate · 1.2 miles

Hampstead Heath is an ancient heath in London, spanning 320 hectares. This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London Clay. The heath is rambling and hilly, embracing ponds, recent and ancient woodlands, a lido, playgrounds, and a training track, and it adjoins the former stately home of Kenwood House and its estate. The south-east part of the heath is Parliament Hill, from which the view over London is protected by law.

Hampstead Heath

Highgate · 1.2 miles

Dating back to at least the 10th century, this 320-hectare open space stretches across a sandy ridge that forms one of the highest points in London, linking the districts of Hampstead and Highgate. Managed by the City of London Corporation, the heath lies principally within the London Borough of Camden, while the adjoining Hampstead Heath Extension and Golders Hill Park fall under the London Borough of Barnet. The terrain is undulating, interspersed with ponds, ancient and more recent woodlands, a lido, playgrounds and a training track, and it borders the historic Kenwood House estate. Along the eastern edge a chain of ponds runs, three of them serving as open-air public swimming pools; these water bodies were originally reservoirs for the River Fleet. The site is recognised as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, and part of the adjoining Kenwood estate holds the status of a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Summer concerts are held on the lawns, and the vista from Parliament Hill is protected by law. Public access is open and facilities such as the lido, playgrounds and the training track are available throughout the year.

Belsize Wood Nature Reserve

South End Green · 1.2 miles

A compact green space of about 0.7 hectare lies within Belsize Park in the London Borough of Camden, close to South End Green. Designated as a Local Nature Reserve and a Grade II Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, the area slopes steeply and is split into two sections. The northern half remains continuously accessible to visitors, while the southern half, which retains a higher level of ecological integrity, is only open at weekends. Both parts are linked by a public footpath that runs between Lawn Road and Aspern Grove, and the reserve is owned and maintained by Camden Council. The site sits above a Midland Railway tunnel constructed in the 1860s, with a ventilation shaft still evident in the north-west corner. After British Railways used the land from 1948 for tennis courts and nursery gardens, Camden Council acquired it in 1971. Development of the Russell Nurseries housing estate on the western side in the 1980s left the eastern portion undeveloped, allowing it to become the present nature reserve. Adjacent to the Grade I listed 1934 Isokon Flats, the area was shaped in 1938 by landscape architect Christopher Tunnard, who added a path and planting near the flats. The woodland is heavily shaded, supporting a diverse insect population, canopy trees such as ash, sycamore and Swedish whitebeam, and an understorey of hawthorn and elder. Ground flora includes butcher’s-broom, enchanter’s-nightshade and nettles, and several common bird species nest within the reserve.

Highbury Fields

Highbury · 1.9 miles

Spanning 11.75 hectares, this open space in Highbury forms the largest parkland within the London Borough of Islington. It runs north from Highbury Corner almost to Highbury Barn, creating a wide green corridor that links the surrounding streets. Managed by Islington Council, the fields are freely accessible and are a well-used thoroughfare for walkers heading toward the nearby Emirates Stadium. Within the park, the landscape is complemented by a range of recreational amenities. Tennis courts are laid out on the lawns, and Highbury Pool, which reopened after a refurbishment in January 2007, offers swimming facilities for locals. The surrounding streets are lined with Georgian and Victorian terraces, notable for their architectural quality and high residential demand. Highbury Place, Highbury Crescent and Highbury Terrace display early examples of town houses built from the late-18th century onward, with some historic occupants such as painter Walter Sickert and politician Joseph Chamberlain recorded in the area’s development history. At the southern edge of the fields stands a war memorial designed by Bertram Mackennal in 1905; the monument bears a wreath, cannons and captured standards, commemorating Islington residents who fell in the Boer War. Public transport is provided by Highbury and Islington station, situated a short walk away, making the park readily reachable for visitors from across London.

Monument to Samuel Rogers and Family

Hornsey · 1.9 miles

Chest tomb of the nonconformist Roger’s family of Stoke Newington. Samuel Roger’s was a celebrated Victorian poet who died in 1855 aged 92. Grade II listed.