Slideshow of Early Gravestones at the Old North Burying Ground

The Old North Burying Ground in Ipswich, Massachusetts was established in 1634 upon the founding of the town of the town, and is one of the oldest cemeteries in North America, located at the intersection of High Street and Rt 133/1A. View the location at Google maps. Many of these gravestones were restored by Epoch Preservation.

The unique northern Essex County “soul effigy” style of John Hartshorne and the Leighton family of Rowley feature primitive round faces, whorls, rosettes, and wavelike patterns, while death’s heads and three-dimensional ornamentation were more common with carvers from the Boston area.

View all 1200 gravestones at the Old North Ground
View the Alphabetical index of graves at the Old North Burying Ground.

This page features a sampling of the oldest gravestones in alphabetical order, including the mysterious E.L stone dated 1647, and the gravestones of the Hart family beginning in the 1670s.

The oldest gravestones are in Section C &D and in the immediate vicinity in Sections A, B, E and F

The numbers before the names in the photos below indicate the locations on the maps of the Burying Ground: map_key; a-b-map; c-d-map; e_map; f-g_map.

Click on any image to make it larger and start the slideshow. Click on the X in the upper right corner of any photo to return to this gallery.

D-99 Sarah Abbey (1726) age 2 — D-102 Joseph Abbe (1727) age 13 days

12 thoughts on “Slideshow of Early Gravestones at the Old North Burying Ground”

Willliam Burley March 2, 20234:40 pm Reply

Very interesting! Thank you.
Nancy March 2, 20234:45 pm Reply

Wow! A fantastic source for those of us who love olde cemeteries…thank you.
Bill Niland March 2, 20235:00 pm Reply

Gordon et all..this represents an extraordinary amount of work. Those of us without superior eyesight commend you and the folks who worked with you . It is a treasure for generations to come..THANK YOU
BRIAN CROSS March 2, 20236:15 pm Reply

Darn, was looking for Cross gravestone
1. Gordon Harris March 2, 20237:45 pm Reply
  
  There are 10 Cross family gravestones. Go to the full list at https://historicipswich.org/ipswich-old-north-burying-ground/
  1. Brian Cross March 3, 202310:31 am
    
    thank you very much
Sharon Pollard March 2, 20239:29 pm Reply

I wonder if the graves of Richard Swan(n), died 1678 and William Acy have survived?
1. Gordon Harris March 3, 202312:03 pm Reply
  
  Sorry, neither gravestone is there.
  1. Sharon Pollard March 3, 20238:46 pm
    
    Thank you for your response.
    
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Barry F. Gougeon March 3, 202310:31 am Reply

Like getting a copy of National Geographic. Have learned a great deal about my early families in Ipswich
Melissa Newcomer June 26, 202311:11 pm Reply

I don’t see my Ancestors John and Elizabeth Cogswell. I found her grave but the tombstone has broken and fell down. Can’t find her husbands. Can anyone help?
1. Gordon Harris June 27, 20237:05 am Reply
  
  I’m sorry, the location of their gravestones is unknown, The Elizabeth Thompson Cogswell at the Findagrave site is an error. D1 is the gravestone of Elizabeth Cogwell Farley, who died in 1866.