The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

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Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

The green heart of the Borough.

 

 

Tower Hamlets Cemetery (known locally as Bow Cemetery) is a historic Cemetery located in London's East End. The nearest tube station is Mile End (see maps and travel).

The Cemetery opened in 1841 by an Act of Parliament and is one of London's Magnificent Seven Cemeteries. The Cemetery closed to burials in 1966. It became Tower Hamlets first Local Nature Reserve in 2001.  Near-by land was added in the mid-nineties, known as "Scrapyard Meadow" and Ackroyd Drive Green Link. Today it is 33 acres of "managed" mature, broadleaved woodland and meadow. It is also a educational resource to 7000+ school children every academic year who use the Park as an outdoor classroom.

The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was set up in 1990. We have a Constitution whose main objectives are to encourage greater use of this inner urban green space as a sanctuary for people, a place of biodiversity, while protecting and preserving the historic content.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is owned by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH). The 'Friends' manage the Cemetery Park via a Service Level Agreement  with LBTH Parks.  We are responsible for the daily maintenance and litter duties for the Park, much of this work is carried out by volunteers through our practical conservation events.

If you'd like to help us in what we do, you can show us your support by subscribing to become a member of the 'Friends'.

 

News

It's a hot week in the City, but wildlife is still putting on a show.  This morning I saw two bumblebees mating in Cantrell Field and I managed to get a decent snap of them.

I've never seen this before so I was pretty amazed to have witnessed the event.

 

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Maps and Travel

The Cemetery Park is located in the heart of East London with good transport links.
The main gate is situated in Southern Grove, E3, with the Soanes Centre just inside on the right.
The nearest Underground station is Mile End on the Central, District, and Hammersmith and City lines. You can also travel to Bow Road on the District and Hammersmith and City Line

DLR to Bow Church
Local bus routes are: D6, D7,D8, 25, 277, 323, 339 and 425.
 

Click here to see a map of the local area.

Please note that the Soanes Centre is run by SETPOINT London East.

Opening Times

The main gates are unlocked at 8:00am and locked again at dusk/9:00pm (whichever is soonest depending on season).
The kissing gates at all other points remain open at all times.

 

 
Events
July

Thursday 2nd July 2009, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park committee
meeting
Whether you’re considering to maybe join the
committee or you just want to find out what’s discussed,
please feel free to join our regular monthly meetings.

Sunday 5th July 2009, 10am - 4pm

Practical Nature Conservation
Join BTCV in the park for a day improving the park for
wildlife and people.

Saturday 18th July 2009 @ 10:30am - 12:30pm
Bow Beasties Wildlife Watch Club
For children aged 4 – 14 The Wildlife Watch Club takes
place in the fabulous resource of the Cemetery Park,
each month we do different activities to learn about
Wildlife.

Sunday 19th July 2009, 2pm
Guided Nature Walk
Join a guided tour to see many plants and animals of
interest.

Thursday July 2nd @ 9:45pm & Thursday July 23rd
2009 @ 9:00pm - Moth Nights
Join the night life & learn about the mysterious world of
moths by capturing them with a friendly light trap,
studying them then releasing back into the night.

Thursday 23rd July 2009

Evening event @ 7pm – 9pm
Presentations on the Park, a guided walk, wild food and
a guest speaker promise to make a good evening – all
welcome.

More events to follow throughout
the summer...

WATCH THIS SPACE!
alternatively click the events link at the
top of this page.