Description
The Jewish Burial Ground was opened by the Reform Synagogue, who broke away from the Bevis Marks Sephardic cemetery. The first recorded burial was in 1843 and it was in use until 1951. Enclosed by high brick walls, the burial ground has numerous regularly arranged tombstones set in grass with plane trees along the Kingsbury Road and south boundaries. Among those buried here are many prominent members of the Jewish community such as the de Stern, Goldsmid and Mocatta families.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Balls Pond Cemetery; Kingsbury Road Cemetery |
|---|---|
| Site location | Kingsbury Road |
| Postcode | N1 |
| What3Words | ///surely.waving.spots |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | appears unrestricted |
| Public Transport | London Overground: Dalston Kingsland, Dalston Junction. Bus: 30, 38, 56, 277, 141 |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2004 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Jewish Burial Ground was opened in c.1840 by the Reform Synagogue, who broke away from the Bevis Marks Sephardic cemetery; it is now owned by the West London Synagogue. Writing in 1896, Mrs Basil Holmes described the cemetery as 'very neatly kept, and is still in use. It is full of very large tombstones'. One such is that of Lionel Lawson (d.1879) who has a pink granite sarcophagus with bronze embellishments; a manufacturer of printing ink, Lawson had shares in The Daily Telegraph, whose founder, Joseph Levy (d.1888) is also buried here. Others include the financier Sir Isaac Goldsmid (d.1858) who was the first Jewish baronet, and founder of University College London; Sir Julian Goldsmid (d.1934), MP for St Pancras and Vice Chancellor of London University. A number of people connected with the West London Synagogue buried here include Moses Mocatta (d.1857); David Mocatta (d.1882), architect, who has a chest tomb next to that of his wife Ann; David Marks, Head of the West London Synagogue (d.1909). There are fears that the owners may sell the land for housing development; the keeper's house has already gone for housing.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ332849 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.506 |
| Site Ownership | West London Synagogue |
| Site Management | West London Synagogue |
| Dates | 1843 |
| 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 | Islington |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | CA |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Shopping Policy Area/Housing Development Area |
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
The Metropolitan Benefit Societies' Almshouses are the last remaining almshouses of five foundations that were established in Balls Pond Road and King Henry's Walk in the early C19th. It was originally founded as the Metropolitan Benefit Societies' Asylum in 1829 although it was not until 1836 that the first stone of the north block was laid by the Lord Mayor of London. East and west wings were added c.1865/6 and the buildings form three sides of the garden quadrangle, laid out with grass, with a number of trees and roses.
King Henry’s Walk Garden is a volunteer-run community garden that opened in 2007, established on a plot of derelict land. Its name derives from King Henry VIII, who reportedly owned two houses and a hunting lodge nearby at Newington Green. In 1857 Thomas Docwra built premises here for his business, Docwra & Son, a successful well-borer contractor for waterworks companies; the name Docwras Buildings is still found on maps. In 1952 the land was acquired by Islington Council but left derelict as a rubble-strewn bomb site, as a result of which it became a rare piece of self-seeded woodland in Islington, now known as Docwras Buildings Wood. KHWG provides allotment plots for Islington residents to grow vegetables and flowers.
Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is on the site of disused railway lands, no longer required after improvement works were made at Dalston Junction. In 2009 it was used as a site for a temporary art installation in conjunction with the Barbican Art Gallery. In 2010 the garden was created through a partnership project commissioned by Design for London, 'Making Space in Dalston' in which Hackney Council, local residents and groups worked with muf architect/art and J & L Gibbons Landscape Architects. It was planted with wildlife friendly trees and shrubs, Since 2012 the garden has been managed as a social enterprise, with a café, education programme and community events.
