Description
Bancroft Road Cemetery is a small Jewish burial ground that opened in 1811, set up by the Amude Yesharim (The Pillars of the Upright), who opened their Maiden Lane Synagogue in 1811. The cemetery was closed for burials in 1907 and was much neglected during the C20th, suffering bomb damage in WWII. It consists of a small strip of land bordered by railings to Bancroft Road and walled to the back. There are a number of upright headstones, monuments and gravestones laid flat on the ground, and a few trees.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Maiden Lane Synagogue Cemetery; Globe Fields |
|---|---|
| Site location | Bancroft Road, Stepney |
| Postcode | E1 |
| What3Words | ///giant.thick.meals |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Tower Hamlets |
| Open to Public | No |
| Public Transport | Tube: Stepney Green (District/Hammersmith & City). Bus: 25. |
| Research Updated | 1 March 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Amude Yesharim (The Pillars of the Upright) were a group of Jewish congregants who had separated from the Western Synagogue early in the C19th. They eventually established themselves in Maiden Lane in Covent Garden where they opened Maiden Lane Synagogue in 1811. They had purchased a plot of land called Globe Fields for a burial ground in 1810, and the first burial took place in 1811. It closed for burials in 1907, although the burial of Philip Philips is recorded in 1918, and there were around 500 burials here. According to Mrs Basil Holmes writing in 1896 it was still in use with 'room for about four more graves'. Among the graves was that of Rabbi David Joseph (d.1871) of the Maiden Lane Synagogue who was also Secretary to the Loyal United Brethren Benefit Society. The Maiden Lane Synagogue, now defunct, continued to own this strip of land in Bancroft Road, but its upkeep was neglected and the walls in particular were in need of repair by the 1920s, when some maintenance was carried out. Damage was caused by bombing in WWII and the state of the cemetery continued to be of concern. It was later incorporated into the Federation of Synagogues Cemetery at Edmonton (q.v.) and the register remains with the Burial Society of the Western Marble Arch Synagogue. Bordered by railings along Bancroft Road, the small ground is not publicly accessible.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ357825 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | West End Chesed V'Ameth Burial Society |
| Site Management | The United Synagogue |
| Dates | 1811 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Tower Hamlets |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Carlton Square was built as part of William Pemberton Barnes' Globe Fields Estate, developed between 1848 and 1855. The central garden was re-ordered under the auspices of the MPGA and opened to the public in 1885 by HRH Princess Louise. Thereafter maintenance was carried out by the LCC. Carlton Square Gardens, a new and larger open space to the east, was created in the 1960s.
Meath Gardens was formerly the privately-owned Victoria Park Cemetery established in 1842. It closed to burials in 1876 having fallen into disuse, but its Gothic entrance arch remains. By 1885 it was in a very poor state and the MPGA approached the owner for permission to lay it out as a public garden. After much protracted negotiation and fund-raising this was finally achieved and the new gardens were opened in 1894 by the Duke of York, renamed Meath Gardens after the MPGA's Chairman, the Earl of Meath. Children's play equipment was provided and a few gravestones remained. In June 1988, a tree was planted and a plaque set into the ground by the Aboriginal Cricket Association inscribed 'In memory of King Cole, Aboriginal cricketer, who died on the 24th June 1868. Your Aboriginal dreamtime home. Wish you peace' .
Alderney Road Cemetery is the oldest Ashkenazi Jewish cemetery in the UK, which opened in 1697. It was extended in 1749 and a granite plaque records that: 'Within this cemetery lie the mortal remains of the founders, lay readers and rabbis of the Ashkenazim community of this country'. The cemetery was closed in 1852 but remained with a resident caretaker. There are many fine tombs and a number of notable trees in the cemetery, which is surrounded by high brick walls.
