Step back in time as you enter through the gates of Clifton Street Cemetery. Opened by the Belfast Charitable Society in 1797, the cemetery catered to all of the citizens of Belfast.
During the tour, you will visit the graves of radicals and reformers from a time when Belfast was the ‘Athens of the North’, as well as the final resting places of the industrial giants who helped to shape Belfast into a global powerhouse.
Wealthy merchants and professionals purchased the Walled Plots, with many showing off their wealth through elaborate memorials and mausoleums.
Your tour guide will tell you tales of bodysnatching and the thousands of souls who lie in unmarked graves. Some lived out their final days in the Poor House; others died without friends to bury them. Those who tragically lost their lives in the 1832 cholera epidemic and the Irish Potato Famine also lie within its walls
The highlight of the tour is the McCracken family grave where Mary Ann McCracken, the renowned abolitionist, philanthropist and reformer, was laid to rest at the spectacular age of 96.
All human life rests in Clifton Street Cemetery. Come and discover the stories for yourself!
Planning your visit:
- Meet at Clifton House, and our guide will lead you to the Cemetery
- Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of your tour
- Guided tours last approx. 90mins, which includes the journey time to and from the Cemetery from Clifton House.
- Free car parking onsite at Clifton House
- Booking in advance essential due to limited spaces
- Please advise Clifton House in advance of any accessibility requirements on 02890997022 as the ground of the Cemetery is uneven and there is a small walk to get to the Cemetery.
