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72nd out of 404 books
—
285 voters
Necropolis: London and Its Dead
Layer upon layer of London soil reveals burials from pre-historic and medieval times. The city is one giant grave, filled with the remains of previous eras. The Houses of Parliament sit on the edge of a former plague pit; St Paul's is built over human remains; Underground tunnels were driven through forgotten catacombs, thick with bones. A society can be judged by the way...more
Paperback, New Edition, 304 pages
Published
March 5th 2007
by Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster UK Ltd.
(first published May 2nd 2006)
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Necropolis is surprisingly compelling and readable. Most of it isn't at all dry or dull -- at times the names and dates blur into each other, but most of it is fascinating. It covers traditions of burial and mourning from the pre-Roman period to more or less the present, especially as concerns London.
It's kind of amazing how we take relatively recent burial traditions for granted -- for my family, the plot of land bought years ago, the simple headstones, a flowerbed over the grave, and an expec...more
It's kind of amazing how we take relatively recent burial traditions for granted -- for my family, the plot of land bought years ago, the simple headstones, a flowerbed over the grave, and an expec...more
This is a fascinating history of how London has handled its dead, from pre-Roman and Roman times through plagues, religious upheaval and different social values and attitudes to urban development. It's not just about the burial customs themselves but about the layers and layers of culture and history that this one small geographic area has hosted.
When the Tube was being constructed, the area between Knightsbridge and South Kensington housed, in Arnold's words, "a pit so dense with human remains...more
When the Tube was being constructed, the area between Knightsbridge and South Kensington housed, in Arnold's words, "a pit so dense with human remains...more
I do not think I actually want to know how many of my reviews on here touch on the subject of the soul of place, of genius loci. It's a fair few, and I doubt that number will be a static one. And so it goes. I have to wonder whether studying the spirit of a city like London, a city which has a distinct personality, one that has aged and matured like a person might, whether such a course might aid me in detecting the spirit of smaller places, towns and cities less venerable. Maybe, maybe not. Thi...more
A generally interesting, sometimes fascinating and occasionally tedious read.
This is a detailed (sometimes too detailed ) history of London's burial practices from Roman times through the plague years, the great fire and the "high Victorian" period, right through the First World War and into the present.
As one of the largest and fastest growing cities, London churchyards and cemeteries were rapidly filling up, with grave upon grave, to overflowing. Things got pretty disgusting at one point, esp...more
This is a detailed (sometimes too detailed ) history of London's burial practices from Roman times through the plague years, the great fire and the "high Victorian" period, right through the First World War and into the present.
As one of the largest and fastest growing cities, London churchyards and cemeteries were rapidly filling up, with grave upon grave, to overflowing. Things got pretty disgusting at one point, esp...more
Beginning far back in the mists of time at the bronze age tumulus on Parliament Hill and ending in an informal memorial garden in Kings Cross for the victims of a terrorist bombing, Catherine Arnald explores both changing attitudes to death and the ways that disposal of the dead changed. Our mediaeval ancestors lived cheek by jowl with death burying their dead close by, but cataclysmic events such as the Black Death and the 1665 plague spelled changes that eventually saw the end of inner city bu...more
A fascinating read. Starting with pagan burials in London it charts the history and development of funeral services, graveyards, cremation and funeral fashions in london, through to today, and the reasons behind those developments. It features a few pictures and some quotes and some very gbraphic descriptions of graveyards overfilled with rotting bodies and of a London left empty, deserted when the plague hits. There is only a little that i actually fvgound boring, and that was all the detail an...more
(Review from my blog, http://rosesandvellum.blogspot.com.au...)
This was an amazing book. It was written in an interesting way, not dry like some other historical books. It was filled with wry humour at the strange ways of humanity, but also sympathy and pathos. It was fascinating to see how burial customs and the beliefs that surrounded them changed over time. The book reaches from Pagan era to the modern day, although a large portion revolves around the Victorian era 'the people who invented de...more
This was an amazing book. It was written in an interesting way, not dry like some other historical books. It was filled with wry humour at the strange ways of humanity, but also sympathy and pathos. It was fascinating to see how burial customs and the beliefs that surrounded them changed over time. The book reaches from Pagan era to the modern day, although a large portion revolves around the Victorian era 'the people who invented de...more
A quirky and interesting read with tales of body-snatching, public executions and brilliant cemeteries such as Highgate. This brings London's dark history to light.
This is an interesting book, dealing with an event that happens to us all. It starts with a brief look at ancient (Roman) burial rites-out of the city, cremation was common, and then moves on to more recent times.
It's educational, and thought provoking, charting changing perceptions to burial customs from mainly Victorian England, to early 20th century.
If you like walking through the historical cemeteries in your area (if in Glasgow, I recommend the Glasgow Necropolis, next to Glasgow Cathedral)...more
It's educational, and thought provoking, charting changing perceptions to burial customs from mainly Victorian England, to early 20th century.
If you like walking through the historical cemeteries in your area (if in Glasgow, I recommend the Glasgow Necropolis, next to Glasgow Cathedral)...more
Layer upon layer of London soil reveals burials from pre-historic and medieval times. The city is one giant grave, filled with the remains of previous eras. The Houses of Parliament sit on the edge of a former plague pit; St Paul's is built over human remains; Underground tunnels were driven through forgotten catacombs, thick with bones. A society can be judged by the way it treats its dead, and this is especially true of London. From Roman burial rites to the horrors of the plague, from the fou...more
Aug 22, 2012
John
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
knowledgeable folk, those with keen interest in history of London
Recommended to John by:
nobody
Shelves:
history
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jan 29, 2012
^
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those with an eye for the off-beat
Very enjoyable, and a stark reminder of how quickly and massively London has grown. As the present-day population continues to increase, one cannot help but wonder what future technologies will develop for the disposal of our dead.
I should have liked to have learned more about Roman and Saxon cremation / burial practices in London; however, I guess I shall simply have to take myself off the Museum of London.
This book doesn’t really get into its stride until it reaches description and discussio...more
I should have liked to have learned more about Roman and Saxon cremation / burial practices in London; however, I guess I shall simply have to take myself off the Museum of London.
This book doesn’t really get into its stride until it reaches description and discussio...more
The subject matter of this book was fascinating - how the people of London have handled the burial/disposal of the dead over many centuries - but the book left me a little flat. The chapters are in roughly chronological order, but within each chapter, I thought the material could have been organized a little better. There were some spots where Arnold repeats herself, which a good editor should have caught. There are a few photos included in the book, but I would have liked more, and some charts/...more
An interesting traipse around London's cemeteries and its dead, working its macabre way from Roman deaths through the black death and plague via Victorian grieving and its posh cemetaries up to the second world war and the death of elaborate grief. Along the way the author chucks in a few personal interests (as no historian is ever able to prevent themselves from doing) and a number of eye-popping facts - including this one: "By 1842, the life expectancy of a professional man was 30. For a labou...more
Engaging and unflinching look into aspects of a long-ignored part of London's cultural history. As always, Arnold's style is highly readable, and she is unafraid to expose all aspects of even the most unsavoury episode. Grim reading at times, but always compelling, this shows the world's greatest city in a variety of lights, not all them even remotely complimentary. A fascinating treatise on London society and its relationship with death.
Interesting story on the evolution of how London treated her dead. From stories told of bodies stacked deep in paupers graves to the magnificent Victorian tombs in London cemeteries. Very interesting to see how the views of death have also changed in the centuries too.
I love it when my reading overlaps. I was reading "Arthur and George" by Julian Barnes, and his character Arthur muses about death while traveling past Woking. I knew what he was thinking about because I was also reading "Necropolis." It tells the story of the huge cemetery in Woking - the planning, the train station built especially for funerals from London (60 a day), and its fall into disuse.
Overall, it's a 3 because it didn't keep my attention like it should have for someone with a wide str...more
Overall, it's a 3 because it didn't keep my attention like it should have for someone with a wide str...more
Interesting subject, starts off absorbing but gets more dry as it goes. About 1/3 of the way in it largely degenerates into a historical timeline with a few meager bits of human interest. Although the author can appreciate the humor of others, she doesn't display humor in her own writing.
I enjoyed this. It's an area of history that is generally neglected but I found it really interesting. Why talk about dead people when you can discuss kings and queens?! It was good to find out where certain customs and funeral traditions originated. Sometimes Arnold jumped around a bit from subject to subject which could be confusing. I'm sure she started making a point about the problems of burying prisoners that she never finished! Or maybe I just missed it. It felt like while writing she wou...more
An enjoyable read, although the topic seems to get lost in superfluous history. Purely for the layman, don't expect to get too much more out of this if death and cemeteries is your thing in the first place.
An intersting read for anyone who has a fascination with London's great gardens of sleep.
I would highly recommend guided tours of the old part of Highgate Cemetery and Kensal Green catacombs
I would highly recommend guided tours of the old part of Highgate Cemetery and Kensal Green catacombs
Yet another intriguing look at London from Catharine Arnold. I really enjoyed reading about how London approached death in the different eras and there was a nice crossover of facts from another book i was reading about the Plague in Shakespeare's time. I think a few visits to Highgate and Kensal Green are now on my list of things to do at a weekend!
Excellent book on some of the fantastic cemetaries in London; makes me want to set up a specific cemetary tour vacation. Looking forward to getting my hands on her other books!
From this list in The Independent: The Ten Best History Books
Not exactly the book I was expecting it to be, as I figured from the title and back notes made it sound like it would be a big historical about London and its graveyards, almost like a tour guide of the grave sites.
It's more about how London handled mass jumps in dead during the times of the plagues and how death and graveyards where viewed and effected life during the Victorian times.
While it wasn't what I was expecting it was better then I thought it was going to be. A good read, more so if yo...more
It's more about how London handled mass jumps in dead during the times of the plagues and how death and graveyards where viewed and effected life during the Victorian times.
While it wasn't what I was expecting it was better then I thought it was going to be. A good read, more so if yo...more
Absolute rubbish. Dates in the first chapter are all wrong and then proceeds to make huge generalisations and sweeping statements. A seriously bad book, that has gone in the recycling.
A fascinating look at burial traditions in London from its pre-Roman Briton settlements to modern customs. Morbid fun!
At times, this book feels like a list, but there are some intersting little tidbits sprinkled thoughout.
i good history of the London cemetery's. clear concise text not too scholarly. i was enjoying it so much i finished it too quickly.
Excellent. Will never look at London cemetries the same way again, EVER.
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Catharine Arnold read English at Cambridge and holds a further degree in psychology. A journalist, academic and popular historian, Catharine's previous books include the novel "Lost Time", winner of a Betty Trask award. Her London trilogy for Simon & Schuster comprises of "Necropolis: London and Its Dead", "Bedlam: London and Its Mad" and "City of Sin: London and Its Vices".
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“More than a hygenic method of disposing of the dead, cremation enabled lovers and comrades to be mingled together for eternity:
The ashes of Domitian were mingled with those of Julia; of Achilles with those of Patroclus; All Urnes contained not single ashes; Without confused burnings they affectionately compounded their bones; passionately endeavouring to continue their living Unions. And when distance of death denied such conjunctions, unsatisfied affections concieved some satisfaction to be neighbours in the grave, to lye Urne by Urne, and touch but in their names.”
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The ashes of Domitian were mingled with those of Julia; of Achilles with those of Patroclus; All Urnes contained not single ashes; Without confused burnings they affectionately compounded their bones; passionately endeavouring to continue their living Unions. And when distance of death denied such conjunctions, unsatisfied affections concieved some satisfaction to be neighbours in the grave, to lye Urne by Urne, and touch but in their names.”
“Meanwhile, we have carved out a place for ourselves among the dead; the glittering pinnacles of commerce rise along the skyline, their foundations sunk in a charnel house; and the lost lie forgotten below us as, overhead, we persaude ourselves that we are immortal and carry on the business of life.”
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1 person liked it
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Apr 19, 2013 07:00am