Burton Mausoleum, ST MARY MAGDALEN'S RC CHURCH, 61 NORTH WORPLE WAY, MORTLAKE, SW14 8PR
Details
Accessibility
It is located within a cemetery. The gate to the cemetery is narrow, and the ground is uneven in places.
Brief description
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mausoleum_of_Sir_Richard_and_Lady_Burton
"The Mausoleum of Sir Richard and Lady Burton is a Grade II* listed[1] tent-shaped mausoleum of Carrara marble and Forest of Dean stone in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church Mortlake in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.[1] It contains the tombs of the Victorian explorer Sir Richard Burton (1821–90), who took part in the search for the source of the River Nile and translated The Arabian Nights, and his wife Isabel, Lady Burton (1831–96), who designed it.[2] The coffins of Sir Richard and Lady Burton can be seen through a glass panel[1] at the rear of the tent, which can be accessed via a short fixed ladder. The inscription includes a commemorative sonnet by Justin Huntly McCarthy (1859–1936), who lived in Putney.[3]
The mausoleum was completed in time for Sir Richard's funeral at the church on 15 June 1891.[4] It was restored in 1975[4] and, with the support of the Friends of Burton and the Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames, in 2012–13.[5] It is now maintained by Habitats & Heritage.
Close-up of inscription on the mausoleumNext to the lady chapel in the church there is a memorial stained-glass window to Burton, erected by his widow.[6]
Burtons' mausoleum is carved from sandstone in the shape of the tent that the couple used for expeditions into the Syrian desert.[7] The building is decorated with symbols of both Islam and Christianity, reflecting the Catholicism of Isabel Burton and Burton's fascination with Middle Eastern philosophy and religion."
https://habitatsandheritage.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/burton-mausoleum/
https://www.stmarymags.org.uk/
https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/4777
"2025: Grade II* listed mausoleum in the form of a Bedouin tent carved to resemble draping canvas. The mausoleum houses the coffins of Sir Richard and Lady Isabel Burton. The interior is painted with religious imagery and decorated with camel bells, lamps, and wreaths of flowers. The building is currently undergoing conservation work and will be under scaffold."
Address
Burton Mausoleum, ST MARY MAGDALEN'S RC CHURCH, 61 NORTH WORPLE WAY, MORTLAKE, SW14 8PR
Phone
0208 876 1326 2019: Please note the Church and Office are closed on Tuesdays. https://www.stmarymags.org.uk/
Website
https://www.stmarymags.org.uk/
Directions
Opening Times
Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change
Transport
https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/4777
2025:
TubeRichmond
TrainMortlake
Bus209, 33, 337, 493, 485, 419
Additional travel infoFrequent buses from Richmond station
Amenities
https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/4777
2025: This year the back of the mausoleum will be under scaffolding so the window will not be accessible to view through.
What you can expectIt is located within a cemetery. The gate to the cemetery is narrow, and the ground is uneven in places.
Travel Information
For further travel information please see: www.traveline.info
Or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33
(Calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)
NB London ULTRA-LOW EMISSION ZONE
This started on 8 April 2019 in the Central London Congestion Charge Zone, and will extend to the whole of the London area within the
M25 Motorway from 25 October 2021.
For more details please see:
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle-35896
Vehicles registered with a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicles' tax class will benefit from a grace period after the ULEZ starts until 26 October 2025 as long as their vehicle doesn't change tax class, and this also applies to a 'disabled' vehicle registered outside the UK.
Location
Nearest Venues
East Sheen, London. Open Daily. Free Admission.
394 metres*
Barnes, London. Open Daily. Free Admission.
1.07 miles*
Chiswick House and gardens, Chiswick, London
1.07 miles*
Roehampton, London. Open Daily. Free Admission.
1.15 miles*
1.19 miles*
*Distances are calculated in a straight line from the current venue, please allow extra time/distance based on available paths or roads.