Tomb Of John St John Long

The Tomb of John St John Long, located in Kensal Green Cemetery, was created in 1834 by sculptor Robert W Sievier. This notable tomb is made of Portland stone and Carrara marble and features a circular aedicule on a square base. The lower section is square and sits on a stepped base, topped with a segmental pediment that has an anthemion finial. Each face of the tympanum contains a wreath or snakes at a bowl, with the projecting inscription panels flanked by quills or the snake-entwined staffs of Aesculapius.

The upper section houses a marble statue of Hygeia, the Greek goddess of health, who is depicted holding a cup. This statue is placed within an altar-topped aedicule, which is inspired by the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates and features an anthemion frieze and antefixes.

John St John Long was a medical practitioner known for his controversial methods, which included treating ailments through friction and other quack practices. He was convicted of manslaughter three times, and the inscription on the south side of the tomb appeals to passers-by not to judge him harshly. This tomb is one of the earliest and most celebrated monuments in the cemetery.