Enon Chapel, Baptist chapel in Clements Lane, London, Great Britain
Enon Chapel was a Baptist place of worship located in Clements Lane that incorporated burial space beneath its main worship floor. The structure occupied a narrow footprint with a prayer hall above and an extensive crypt system below that served burial purposes for decades.
The chapel opened in 1822 as a place of worship under minister W. Howse and operated as a combined church and burial ground. The practice of underground interments continued for years until authorities became aware of the overwhelming number of bodies stored in the cramped basement.
The reformer George Walker purchased the building in 1847 and transferred all human remains to Norwood Cemetery, marking a shift in London burial practices.
The building was situated in a confined urban area with limited space for ground-level burials, which made the underground crypt necessary. The site has been redeveloped and is now occupied by academic buildings, so visitors cannot access the original chapel location today.
The decomposition beneath the floorboards was so active that moisture seeped through and insects emerged during worship services, creating a noticeable and unpleasant problem. This health hazard became so apparent that it eventually triggered intervention by authorities and led to the relocation of all remains.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
