Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Old North Cemetery, Weymouth MA



My husband and I have always loved to walk in old cemeteries: the kind you can find in New England, some dating back to the 1600's.

These shots were taken at the North Weymouth, or "The Old North Cemetery" in Massachusetts. It is the second oldest cemetery in Massachusetts. The web site states it may be the oldest cemetery still in use in the USA.

This cemetery is beautiful to walk around in the fall. Huge old colorful trees dot the landscape, and shady paths wind around the ancient stones. The stones are wonderfully carved, and some tell a story. Look at Elizabeth Cotton's grave about. It says, "Here lyes the body of Elizabeth Cotton...who died upon this road for reason of a fall from her horse, October 31, 1710 aged 45 years..." What was this middle aged woman doing riding her horse through a graveyard on Halloween? Why did she fall off her horse? The grave also states she was from Hampton, Ma, no where near Weymouth. She was married, too. This stone alone could be the source of a good historical fiction novel.  There is a Civil War memorial in the front of the area, as seen below. You can read the names of the men who fought and died and then find their family plots.
I love the old trees in the cemetary. They are wide trees, big enough to hug and admire the colorful leaves. I have more stone shots, if anyone is interested in seeing them. Maybe I will include more closer to Halloween. Here is a link to the Cemetery: Old North Cemetery. Enjoy the photos there, also. You can take your dog also, which is unusual for a public cemetery. I guess they figure the folks who have been dead 400 years won't mind!

3 comments:

  1. What a fascinating blog post! I too enjoy exploring old cemeteries. BTW, Thank you for stopping by my blog! I am so pleased you enjoyed my photography.

    Cheers!
    Julie
    Julie Magers Soulen Photography
    Blog of Note

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  2. I love old cemeteries! I remember the one in Melissohori in Greece... some of the graves were a hundred or more years old, but in excellent condition. Many had four or five occupants, and almost every one had a little cupboard at the top where cleaning materials and cloths were kept to help look after the gravesite!

    Lovely pictures, Mary.

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  3. Each of these is a little gem. I really like the way you took time to think about the 45 year old woman who lost her life in a cemetery far from home by falling off the back of a horse. Your images and text really pulled me in.

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