Tomb of Thomas Sayers in Highgate (Western) Cemetery is a Grade II listed building in the Camden local planning authority area, England. First listed on 14 May 1974. Tomb.

Tomb of Thomas Sayers in Highgate (Western) Cemetery

WRENN ID
white-barrel-marsh
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Camden
Constituency
Hampstead and Highgate MP: Tulip Siddiq (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
14 May 1974
Type
Tomb
Address
Tomb of Thomas Sayers in Highgate (Western) Cemetery, Swain's Lane, London, N6 6PJ
OS grid reference
TQ 284 871
Coordinates
51.56895, -0.14835
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The tomb of Thomas Sayers is located in Highgate (Western) Cemetery and dates from around 1865. It is a chest tomb made of marble, featuring a rectangular plinth and a chest tomb with battered sides. The tomb has clasping pilaster strips, a projecting cornice with antefixae, and a pediment at the short end that displays a relief wreath with ribbons. Beneath the pediment is a relief portrait cameo with an inscription. In front of the plinth, there is a life-sized sculpture of Sayers's mastiff dog, Lion, depicted in a recumbent position.

Historically, Thomas Sayers was known as the last of the bare-fisted prizefighters and was immensely popular during his lifetime. His funeral reportedly attracted around 10,000 attendees, with his dog riding in an individual open carriage directly behind the coffin.

Local climate

Tomb of Thomas Sayers in Highgate (Western) Cemetery sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 680 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 99% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 99% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 29 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 66% of listed buildings. Of these, 13 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Monument to Joseph Hodgson in Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 8 m
  2. Tomb of John Kemp and family in Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 23 m
  3. Tomb of John Jeffkins in Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 23 m
  4. Tomb of John Atcheler in Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 29 m
  5. Tomb of Frederick Lillywhite in Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 39 m
  6. Memorial to Sir Rowland Hill in Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 48 m
  7. North East Lodge and Gates to Highgate (Western) Cemetery Grade II 55 m
  8. Monument to Mary Nichols Grade II 56 m
  9. 'Youth', Sculpture on Circular Brick Plinth in the Garden Grade II 57 m
  10. Monument to Brodie McGhie Wilcox Grade II 61 m