Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery

Newport's Common Burial Ground is one of the most interesting burial grounds in New England. It has very well preserved grave stone carvings that show a wide variety of styles. I find the grave stones carved before 1800 to be the most interesting because they were still carved by hand and they often had a variety of symbolism displayed in the tympanum or top central part of the grave stone. Early grave stones usually had a skull with wings symbolizing the flight of the soul to heaven. Later they replaced the skull with a face or effigy with wings. Near the heads they might also add other symbols such as an hour glass symbolizing the passage of time or that time has run out. A scythe/sickle might mean a sudden death or a life cut short. Coffins, cross bones, dart of death might also appear. Take your time in this burial ground and you will learn a lot about puritan life and religion. The burial stone of Charles Barden 1773 is the only grave stone in New England that depicts God in the tympanum.

The history of the area is breathtaking, and this is a perfect place to learn & reflect. I also have a relative buried here, so I visit as often as I can!

I would give it five stars if people didn't use it as a dog park.

The Island Cemetery is located on Farwell and Warner Streets and impressively marks an entrance to the City of Newport. It has tremendous historical significance and its monuments reflect the remarkable impact Newport has had on United States history. Its plots have always been modestly priced so that both middle class and prominent citizens chose this cemetery as a final resting place.nnThe memorial park was founded in 1836 by the City of Newport. In 1848, the land was transferred to the Island Cemetery Company, Inc. which has operated the cemetery since that date. The company has been categorized by the IRS as a tax exempt, non-profit organization since1954.nnThe Island Cemetery and its companion the Common Burying Ground were added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1974. This listing is the official designation of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation and protection.nnThe war hero Oliver Hazard Perry, the architect William Morris Hunt, captains of American industry, authors, as well as four governors of Rhode Island, numerous senators, and important Newporters are interred within its walls. Additionally, a monument commemorating the 1999 Egyptian airliner disaster over Nantucket adds a somber tone to the site. As part of the annual Black Ships celebration, a ceremony is held at the grave of Matthew Perry which is attended by many dignitaries of this country and Japan.nnThe monuments in the cemetery range from simple headstones to massive obelisks and include an ornate sculptures by St. Gaudens. The cemetery has both historic and artistic significance.nnThe cemetery is home to the Belmont Chapel. A new preservation group has formed to restore the beautiful building. The Island Cemetery Company recently transferred the ownership of the Belmont Chapel to that non-profit group.nnThe siting of the cemetery is on a hill overlooking the Point Section of Newport with the harbor in the distance. The avenues of the Island Cemetery were laid out by Henry Bull and William Freeborn in the style of the Mount Auburn Cemetery of Boston. It provides both a burial site and an open space for the public to enjoy. In fact, neighbors can be seen strolling the grounds throughout the year. The absence of nearby parks makes the quiet, winding paths of the cemetery with its view of Narragansett Bay a real resource for the surrounding neighborhoods. The cemetery is an integral part of the historic neighborhoods that surround it.nnThe non-profit Island Cemetery, a private entity, is owned and managed by the Island Cemetery Company. The Company has maintained the grounds and is the fiduciary of the plot owners’ perpetual care fund.nnMaintaining a facility of the importance and size of the Island Cemetery requires a major effort. Weather and human forces damage the cemetery and its pieces. In fact, the classically columned receiving vault designed by Edwin Wilbar in 1894, which formed part of the basis for the cemetery’s inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, had to be demolished in 1984. Sadly, vandalism is now also evident and accelerates the deterioration of the structures of the cemetery grounds.nnA neighbor walking through the Island Cemetery today might note numerous items in need of repair. There are masonry walls to reconstruction, walking paths to re-gravel, metal edging to install, lighting needed to provide security, and monuments to be cleaned and renewed.

Wonderful walk