History in Structure

Chest Tomb with Cherub Balusters, South Enclosure

A Grade II Listed Building in Islington, London

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.5233 / 51°31'23"N

Longitude: -0.088 / 0°5'16"W

OS Eastings: 532743

OS Northings: 182214

OS Grid: TQ327822

Mapcode National: GBR S8.C4

Mapcode Global: VHGQT.FZB5

Plus Code: 9C3XGWF6+7Q

Entry Name: Chest Tomb with Cherub Balusters, South Enclosure

Listing Date: 21 February 2011

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1396552

English Heritage Legacy ID: 508637

ID on this website: 101396552

Location: Shoreditch, Islington, London, EC1Y

County: London

District: Islington

Electoral Ward/Division: Bunhill

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Islington

Traditional County: Middlesex

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Greater London

Church of England Parish: St Giles Cripplegate

Church of England Diocese: London

Tagged with: Chest tomb

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Description



635-1/0/10268 BUNHILL FIELDS BURIAL GROUND
21-FEB-11 Chest tomb with cherub balusters, Sout
h enclosure

GV II
Chest tomb, probably early C18

LOCATION: 532743.1, 182214

MATERIALS: Portland stone

DESCRIPTION: The monument takes the form of a stone chest and a flat top, the latter supported at the corners by four carved amorini (winged cherubs' heads). The inscription is no longer legible.

HISTORY: Bunhill Fields was first enclosed as a burial ground in 1665. Thanks to its location just outside the City boundary, and its independence from any Established place of worship, it became London's principal Nonconformist cemetery, the burial place of John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe, William Blake and other leading religious and intellectual figures. It was closed for burials in 1853, laid out as a public park in 1867, and re-landscaped following war damage by Bridgewater and Shepheard in 1964-5.

SOURCES: Corporation of London, A History of the Bunhill Fields Burial Ground (1902).
A W Light, Bunhill Fields (London, 1915).

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The monument is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It is a Baroque chest tomb of highly unusual form, probably dating from the early C18;
* It is located within the Grade I registered Bunhill Fields Burial Ground (q.v.), and has group value with the other listed tombs in the south enclosure.

Reasons for Listing


The monument is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It is a Baroque chest tomb of highly unusual form, probably dating from the early C18;
* It is located within the Grade I registered Bunhill Fields Burial Ground (q.v.), and has group value with the other listed tombs in the south enclosure.

External Links

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