Willesden Jewish Cemetery - House of Life Visitor Centre

Established in 1873 by Victorian Jews of German and Dutch origin, Willesden Jewish Cemetery is a contemporary of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries which include Highgate and Brompton. Its design and layout reflect an immigrant community’s desire to adopt prevailing English fashions.

After six years of careful conservation and research, volunteers at Willesden Jewish Cemetery extend a warm welcome to all. It is the first time that a still active Jewish cemetery invites visitors to discover the lives of people buried here and to explore the customs and history of London’s Jewish community.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said:

In Jewish tradition, the cemetery is much more than a place to lay our loved ones to rest. It is a sacred memorial to the times and achievements of our ancestors, so that we can pray for their souls and learn from their example. That is why the heritage experience offered at Willesden Cemetery is not only a valuable exercise in conservation, but also a wonderful opportunity to share its fascinating insights and rich history with the Jewish community and well beyond. Thanks to the United Synagogue and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this project sets a new standard for the way in which we treasure and learn from our past.

Visitors to Willesden Jewish Cemetery are able to explore its House of Life visitor experience with opportunities to:

• take a stroll through a 21-acre memorial landscape which opens the stories of the site
• learn about London’s Jewish community over the last 150 years and its traditions
• from exhibits at the new House of Life Visitor Centre
• step inside the funerary buildings which have been conserved and refurbished to host public events and learning programmes
• be inspired by stories of past lives told by trained volunteers on regular guided walks - some with a special theme, e.g Artists and Their World, Retail Giants: Heroes & Villains on the High Street, Women of Willesden and Servicemen who were Killed in Action in World Wars I and II
• appreciate the peace and quiet of newly planted gardens designed to boost biodiversity in a built-up area of London
• immerse oneself in artistic soundscapes that evoke the echoes of prayer and burial rituals in the Prayer Hall and Old Mortuary
• take time to remember lost family and friends and reflect on the subject of death through a varied programme of events.