Wildlife in Brompton Cemetery

Nature and wildlife of Brompton Cemetery

Pipistrelles swooping down the central avenue at sunset. Goldfinches and black caps hiding in the ivy and bramble. A fox, slipping between the gravestones.  

A wildlife haven in the heart of West London.

Brompton Cemetery’s unique natural habitats

Like many cemeteries, Brompton’s peaceful atmosphere, high tree canopy, ivy-covered graves, long grassland and pockets of scrub mean wildlife can flourish, alongside the many visitors to the cemetery.

Its habitats are a mix of flower rich grassland, small areas of meadows and wilder areas of scrub, brambles, ivy and hawthorn, provide perfect cover for robins and black caps, hedge sparrows, goldfinches and song thrushes. In summer, the cemetery meadows come alive with hoverflies, butterflies and fantastic day flying moths, such as the cinnabar.

Flowers amongst the headstones

Brompton Cemetery has an abundance of native wildflowers such as lady’s bedstraw, bird’s-foot trefoil and oxeye daisies – and species that love acid grassland such as red fescue and mouse-eared hawkweed. The cemetery is particularly lovely in springtime, with snowdrops, crocuses and bluebells pushing up after winter. 

If you walk towards the Great Circle from North Lodge, you’ll notice places where we’re deliberately leaving the grass long, to boost biodiversity and encourage more pollinators. Brompton Cemetery’s meadows are home to many species such as voles, wood mice, bees and beetles. Look closely and you might see the vivid wasp spider spinning a web, or even the Tower Hamlets jumping spider – only discovered in 2002. In summer these meadows are alive with colour and humming with life – bursting with poppies and cornflowers and humming with the sound of grasshoppers and bumble bees.

Take the Brompton Cemetery Spider Stroll

Explore the lesser known corners of the cemetery and its wildlife with our Spider Stroll – download the map and discover at your leisure.

A delicate balancing act

Brompton Cemetery is a unique environment, where people and wildlife coexist. As The Royal Parks charity, we have a responsibility to protect and manage the cemetery to balance the needs of people and wildlife, so that both continue to flourish.