Gravestone of George Fox

The Gravestone of founding Friend George Fox is an example of a Quaker burial.

Quaker burials

For early Quakers, in some cases, the burial ground was the first piece of land acquired by a Quaker meeting, and many pre-date the building of the Meeting House beside them.

From the mid 17th century, Quakers were either denied the right to bury their dead in parish graveyards, or chose not to do so.

At first they carried out burials in gardens and orchards, but they soon began to acquire their own burial grounds – following guidance from Fox. He urged Friends to 'buy decent burying-places' and to 'let them be decently and well fenced'.

Today, Friends are free to choose burial or cremation and may also opt for a non Quaker funeral.

Bunhill burial grounds

Fox is buried in the Quaker burial ground beside Bunhill Meeting House in Islington, north London. Nearby lies Bunhill Cemetery, which became a popular burial place for Nonconformists denied interment by the Church of England.

Among those buried or commemorated at Bunhill Cemetery are:

William Blake (1757 - 1827), poet, printer and painter best known for the poem that later became the hymn Jerusalem.

Daniel Defoe (1660 - 1731), novelist best known for Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders.

John Bunyan (1628 - 1688), soldier turned preacher and author of The Pilgrim's Progress.

Susannah Wesley (1669 - 1742), mother of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church.

It is remarkable that the originators of so many cultural touchstones lie in such close proximity within this soil.

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