Monument To Samuel Favell, North Section

This is a late 19th-century, coped stone monument located in the North section of Bunhill Fields Burial Ground. Constructed from red granite, it stands on a low stone plinth. The main inscription identifies the monument as commemorating Samuel Favell, who was of Flemish descent and held a prominent position as a member of the Court of Common Council from 1810 to 1829. He was also the founder of Mill Hill School in 1807 and actively supported numerous causes including Sunday schools, Catholic emancipation, the University of London, Guildhall Library, and the construction of the New London Bridge. The inscription highlights his opposition to slavery and the criminal code of his time. A second face of the monument is inscribed with the names and dates of death of Obadiah Arrowsmith (died 1805), Catherine Arrowsmith (died 1810), and John David David (died 1825).

Samuel Favell (1760-1830) was a London merchant and philanthropist who significantly contributed to political and social reform. He is particularly known for tabling the motion that led to the repeal of the 17th-century Test and Corporation Acts in 1828. Together with John Pye Smith, he co-founded Mill Hill School, a Nonconformist boarding school.

Bunhill Fields Burial Ground was first enclosed in 1665 and became London's principal Nonconformist cemetery due to its location outside the City boundary and its independence from established religious institutions. It was closed for burials in 1853, transformed into a public park in 1867, and subsequently re-landscaped following war damage by Bridgewater and Shepheard in 1964-5, which involved the clearance and relocation of some tombs. The monument is designated at Grade II for its significance in commemorating a key figure in early 19th-century reform movements and for its group value within the Grade I registered Bunhill Fields Burial Ground.