Ancientest Burial Ground (New London, Connecticut)
A Comtesse Travelogue!
A look at my trip to a wonderful old Connecticut cemetery full of splendid 18th century gravestone carvings.
Ye Towne’s Antientest Buriall Place
New London, ConnecticutIt’s hard to find any information on what is commonly known as the “Ancientest Cemetery” in New London, Connecticut, which is surprising to me since it is such a jewel of 17th and 18th century gravestone carving. It’s probably for the best, actually, since these stones are irreplaceable jewels that are best left undisturbed. (And in fact, sadly, some of them have been damaged already.) However, I can tell you a few things about this special little graveyard:
- The cemetery is located between Hempstead and Huntington Streets in New London, CT.
- The cemetery was set aside for burial in 1652 and was maintained until 1793.
- Many of the country’s early settlers, several of whom played important roles in our country’s history, are buried here.
- Also here are the oldest graves of black colonists.
- Benedict Arnold is said to have stood at this high elevation during the Revolution in 1781 to watch his British troops conquer Fort Griswold in Groton across the river and then burn New London.
So, as you can see, it’s a pretty interesting little place to visit. Of course, I was really excited about seeing the wonderful gravestone carvings, especially the “death’s head” – otherwise known as “soul effigies”. And I was not disappointed with what I saw. Without
further ado, here’s a glimpse at a beautiful piece of Amerimemoria past.
Before I even entered the Burial Grounds, I noticed a beautiful olde house across the way that I just had to take a picture of. I |
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I love the fact that they use the olde-fashioned spelling on the sign at the entrance to the cemetery. Things like this make the Comtesse smile… |
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In this shot, you can see why Benedict Arnold would have used this site as a vantage point, since the high ground provides an excellent view of the Thames River (yes, it’s really called the “Thames” – it is “New London” after all).
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I thought the most photogenic section of the park was this lovely olde copper beech tree sheltering a crop of gravestones. It has a rather creepy effect, don’t you think? |
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Here’s the first of the many and varied soul effigies. This one totally cracks me up – it’s like the “Bug-Eyed Butterfly Vicar” or something. I know it’s hard to read the gravestones in the pictures, so I’ll try to decipher them for you as best I can: In |
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Here are a couple of views of the cemetery, showing the bridge across the Thames River in the background.
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This is a rather elegant soul effigy. I think I will call it “Feathered In |
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Another view of the olde buriall [sic] grounds. |
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Here’s a shot looking out from under a shade tree. |
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I think I will call this soul effigy The Disapproving Judge. I definitely wouldn’t want THIS guy on my tombstone! The unfortunate soul who gets cursed with this sourpuss for all eternity is, amazingly, a mere baby! Here |
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Here’s a simple pair of effigies, for a couple of brothers: In Memory of It looks like they died on September 24, 17-something, but I can’t read the inscription well enough to be exact. |
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This is another of the bug-eyed carvings (you can definitely tell In (I’m trusting someone else with the transcription of the end of this one, since it’s not readable.) |
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This particular headstone is the first that shows definite signs Here lyes the Body of Eliphalet Adams was pretty well-known preacher. Here’s what Answers.Com has to say about him: The son of Dedham, MA’s, second minister, Eliphalet Adams graduated from Harvard College in 1694. He preached in various places for the next 15 years, until, in 1709, he was ordained a Congregational minister in New London, CT. That same year he married Lydia Pygan. Adams was a popular preacher, and many of his sermons were published. Most Famous Works: |
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Here’s a nice break from the soul effigy imagery – a classic weeping willow and urn: In memory of |
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This particular soul effigy looks drunk, or high, or something! I |
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This is my favorite death head from this cemetery. I adore the little crossed bones above the head. Very nice touch, don’t you think? If you look closely, you can still see the lines that were scratched onto the stone by the carver so that the letters are lined up correctly. Very interesting. Here Lyeth the Body of |
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I thought this one was particularly artistic. I do think that some of the inscription is missing, however… either that or this is the grave for a woman named Peter… which, well, I guess there could be stranger things in the world… PETER CHRISTOPHERS On the now apparently defunct Old Bones website, someone ventured the following guess as to the identity of the bones lying here: “After doing a little research on this family, I would venture a guess that this was Peter Christophers first wife Abigail Miller, |
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Here’s a happy little death head who smiles over the bones of Elizabeth Christophers for all eternity. Here Lyeth the Body (Per Roots And Routes, this gravestone carving is attributed to William Codner.) |
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The effigy on this carving kinda looks like she’s wearing those horn rimmed glasses that the women in The Far Side are always wearing. I think I’ll call her “Miriam”. Anyway, she stands solemn watch over the bones of Dr. Giles Goddard: IN MEMORY I found out through internet searches that poor Giles died of gout and that he was the postmaster of New London. Guess that whole “doctor” career didn’t work out so well for him, eh?
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This effigy reminds me of a sun figure. Simple and elegant. In Memory I needed some help for the ending from CT Gravestones, who also add some other interesting historical tidbits, such as the fact that Capt. Shapley fell during the same battle against the British that Benedict Arnold watched from the cemetery, and that this gravestone “is one of special historic interest in Connecticut. It is carved on what we call Bolton Granite |
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This carving really creeps me out – especially with the erosion of the faces. It makes the angels look quite ghostly. Here lyes interred A good name is better |
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Here’s another nice skull effigy – this one’s for Sarah Soley. Lucky Sarah! Here lyes Buried the Wow!! 93 years old is ancient for those days. She must have had a fascinating life. If only her bones could tell me all about it… |
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This is another carving that cracks me up. What a dopey looking face! This guy was kinda the Picasso of grave carving – he had his own style. Roots and Routes tells me that the carver was Gershom Bartlett from Bolton, Connecticut. CT Gravestones provides the following biography of Gershom: Gershom Bartlett (1723-1798) In Memory |
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Another nice skull head – and you can see the lines for the lettering on this one as well. Here lies the Body of |
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This is another well-done carving which begs the question – what the hell is a “consort” in 18th century terminology anyway??? (I believe it’s either a wife, or a “companion”…) Here lies the Remains of In youthful Bloom Death came down Damn. I can’t read the end of the last sentence. What do you suppose it is? “To meet my Saviour in Paradise” maybe? Ah well… |
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This effigy looks like it’s got a fro goin’ on, don’t it? And the carving begs the question – what exactly is a “relict” in 18th century terminology, anyway??? (I believe it’s a widow…) In Memory |
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Here’s a Siamese Twin effigy. A kinda creepy looking Siamese Twin effigy, actually… In Memory of Joseph The rest is sadly illegible. By the way, I wondered what the heck the “Esqr.” (Esquire) behind so many of the names means. Apparently, these guys were either officials of some sort or lawyers. |
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The lichen growing on this well-preserved gravestone gives it an eerie glowing quality. Sacred to the Memory of |
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Okay, this carving is even stranger than Gershom’s! I think I’d have to call this one “Mr. Bill”! Here lyeth (That’s a best guess, anyway… damned weeds! Roots and Routes identifies the carver as John Hartshome.) |
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Here’s another wonderful skull carving. Here lyes the |
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Here are a couple more skull effigy figures. The inscriptions say (left to right): HERE LYETH INTERED HERE LIES THE |
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Another nice carving by the same skull artist as the previous stones. ELIZABETH GARDINER |
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On this one you can see some of the crosshatch scratches which sadly mar many of the stones. Here Lies the Body of |
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This effigy head looks in dire need of a long nap and a little love. Poor thing. IN MEMORY |
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This one is a bit different. It has a more human quality to it than most of the carvings, which befits the 2 year old in whose name it is dedicated. James the son |
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Another nice skull (although sullied by a bird). Here lyes Buried |
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In Memory of |
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This one has my favorite of all gravestone sayings – the “prepare for death” one! Oh, why don’t they write them like this anymore? Incidentally, it looks like the carver forgot the last digit of the year on the stone. In Memory of Consider friends as you pass by |
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These are two of my favorites. They are quite elegant in that simple, unadorned, puritan way. In Memory of In Memory of Benja- (I can’t decipher the poem that appears at the bottom of the gravestone, but it has to do with “Jesus” and “flesh” and “iron”. Probably just boring Bible verse anyway…) |
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Nice shot from underneath the beech tree. These graves haven’t seen the sunlight for a VERY long time. |
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Here’s another elegant carving (by John Stevens, Jr. of Newport, RI per Roots & Routes). |
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And finally, here’s an interesting, very delicate carving in slight profile which shows the unfortunate scratch-marks of a pathetic vandal. The scariest thing for me is that all of these invaluable headstones are so desperately vulnerable. If ever a cemetery needed a security system to keep vandals away, it’s this one. I only hope that something can be done to save these gorgeous and historic stones before the next idiot strikes. In Memory of Mr. |
Addendum: Cranky Yankee provides the following information: This book will have the info you need to identify the carvers in this cemetery: Colonial Burying Grounds of Eastern Connecticut and the Men Who Made Them ———– Further info on this burial ground can be found in the writings of the late Ernest Caulfield. These writings were owned by James Slater (who worked with Caulfield) and now is in the process of being organized for the CT Historical Society. Another place to find Caulfield’s research is the AGS journal, Markers. The entire Vol. 8 of Markers was dedicated to Caulfield. That issue is out of print, but copies can be obtained from AGS (Association for Gravestone Studies). The Slater book can be purchased here as well. |
Anyone have any additional tidbits or photos to add?
If so, by all means, write me!
I’m writing an article about Madam Sarah Kemble Knight for a local magazine. I was surprised you did not quote from (or find?) her grave. I was told she resided there.