Funerary Grounds: Burying Point Cemetery

Originally published on March 15, 2020.

Old Burying Point Cemetery is arguably one of the most famous cemeteries in Massachusetts. It is the oldest burial ground in Salem (1637) and among the oldest in the United States. It is also known as Charter Street Cemetery and was originally called the Salem Street Burying Ground. It used to be a private cemetery to the Wade family and its surrounding area was used as a plantation and private farm owned at the time by Matthew Craddock, first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Records show that 600 people or more are buried here however there are only 485 markers. This discrepancy could include a few things: a) it was common during this time (17th century) for one gravestone to indicate an entire family b) many Revolutionary War soldiers were laid to rest in Burying Point, many unknown and c) during these wicked times, it was common for slaves to not receive headstones.

Justice John Hathorne, one of the main judges in the Witchcraft Court and an ancestor of Nathaniel Hawthorne is notably buried here. Bartholomew Gedney, another judge in the trials is also buried in this cemetery. John Hathorne and other monsters in power during the time of the Trials, accused many innocent people who were often hung and killed shortly thereafter with (or without) a trial. The Salem Witch Trials were convoluted with lies, greed, and power hungry individuals. Many of the people accused and killed were prostitutes/sex workers, queer folx, fortune tellers/gifted individuals, and people who owned properties that the rich wanted (if they were dead and you were high up on the totem pole, their land was free for the taking, apparently). Most of those accused of being witches were in fact minorities and this is a theme we unfortunately still see in our current world today, in all kinds of ways.

Like many other witches and tourists, I had to visit Burying Point during my first trip to Salem. I was fortunate enough to visit a couple different cemeteries during my stay and for me, this cemetery was the most quiet. The spirits felt like they didn’t want to move, talk, or engage in any way. Instead, they felt tired, like they were tired of being on display. I’m not too sure what I expected but I do know that it was gorgeous and very small for some 600 people to be buried there. The victims of the witch trials were sentenced to death by hanging on the summit of Gallows Hill. Their bodies were buried together in a shallow pit at the site as they were not allowed to be buried in the city cemetery. In so, a designated area now exists as the Witch Trial Memorial where those from Salem’s gruesome past can be remembered and this spot felt like an old, yet fresh wound. I could feel fear, panic, and grief. I could see tears that have never fully dried. As a Witch myself, I wanted to say how sorry I was - how sorry I was for their deaths, and how sorry I was that I could publicly declare myself a Witch and walk around the earth they inhabited before me where that word got them killed. I wanted to feel something for being apart of this community who is taking Witch back, word, meaning, and identity but truly, I only felt my heart breaking. It was a humbling experience on all kinds of levels.

Visitors may notice that many of the markers on graves do not provide specific birth dates. The graves have inscribed the age of the deceased in years, months, and days instead although, most of the graves are so old and faded they cannot be read. Many of the tombstones of ‘females’ buried do not include a first name but instead “the wife of ____”. Most markers are made from slate. I noticed in this cemetery the winged skull motif on many to most graves which symbolizes that the soul was freed and taken into the afterlife, representing ‘an ascension into Heaven.’ Other symbols that can be seen include bones, an hourglass, or willow trees. {More on common cemetery images, symbols, and engravings on the MLD blog to come.)

If anyone is visiting Salem, MA I highly recommend stopping by to feel this cemetery as it has some deep buried secrets. Other Salem cemeteries to be showcased soon.

Till next time.

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// 51 Charter St, Salem, MA 01970 //