I think they look more like rays of sunshine than a spider's web to be honest.
The cemetery was as hard to find as I had read, but then for a road not to be labeled in Massachusetts is more the norm than the exception. There are loads of stories about this cemetery, many a bit sensational. I had not been to a Quaker cemetery before. Like other cemeteries of its age, it had large numbers of a few family names - the Earle's, Southwick's, Potter's. There were a couple things that got me thinking.
The first thing about this cemetery was that probably 95% of the headstones were identical in size, shape, cut of stone. They ranged from the mid 1700's to 2009 and yet effort was clearly made to make them as identical and equal as possible. No one more important than anyone else, it seemed. That was most likely the Quaker influence.
This cemetery is fairly square in layout with a strong stone fence surrounding. If, as you stepped in through the spidery gate, you looked to the half to your left, those on the East side.. all of the stones appear to face West. And looking to the right or West side, they all appear to face East. And in the middle of the cemetery is an area within a circle of pines that has an almost ceremonial platform feel. Perhaps services were held there? That would make the directions the stones faced seem logical.
I've noticed the tendency for headstones to face a certain direction in most cemeteries. And I've read various articles on why, preparation for the resurrection being the most common reason for feet to be to the the east and the head to the west end, so that a person could sit up at the time of the coming facing the sun. There are always exceptions to this rule. I think in modern cemeteries there is more a tendency to face the "streets" in the cemetery so that it is easy to see from the car as you drive by, or face the "view" of the plot, a pond, lake or skyline.
The thing about this that I found thought provoking today (and once long ago at a mound cemetery in Ohio) is that it was so obvious there was a system, how do you explain the one or, in this case, two exceptions. A husband and wife, Charles W. Howe (1821 - 1908) and Mary Anthony Howe (1827 - 1923), found off to the rear on the West side of the grounds, face the perimeter wall. They face the "wrong" direction according to the system. Why?
Their dates don't make them the first interments to the cemetery or the last. They fall somewhere in the middle after the pattern was established. There were others near them facing the "correct" direction. And no obvious earthen based issues that would create the need to flip them. Was the stone fence added recently? It doesn't seem so. I imagine she was simply added facing the same way as he, because she was his widow.
Was there something about them or their lives that created this need to turn the rest of their community's backs on them in perpetuity? Certainly that would be forgiven in their faith at the time of death? It just makes me wonder.
(note to self - later discuss the headstone, footstone practice - gives the grave the look of a bed, with a headboard and a smaller similar cut footboard, most of which go missing.)
I am wondering about the "no photos" request. Is this common? I stumbled across Edgel Grove Cemetery in Framingham and was going to write it up on my site (http://www.MoreToMass.com) but there was a large sign of prohibitions, including one against taking photographs. Too bad. It's a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't think it is that common a request. Spider's Gate Cemetery has a lot of history of people loitering about and hauntings and such. It is fairly remote from the streets and I think there is worry about vandalism. I think it is more a hope that people will have a mutual respect for their departed. In England many many years ago a man stopped me from taking pictures at a cemetery, saying it was against the law. It wasn't, but perhaps in his mind it was disrespectful.
DeleteI have been taking pictures in the smaller older cemeteries in Central Mass for a number of months now to document/catalog and post them to findagrave.com - partly to help people doing genealogy, but also because I worry about the deterioration and disappearance of stones and assume if I have a picture and it is online, there will be some record. No one has stopped me in those and police have driven by while I've been there taking pictures of every stone that I can access.
I've seen that same sign at Edgell Grove, but not until I'd been taking pictures there for several years with no one stopping me. The difference is that at Spider's Gate it clearly says do not take pictures and do not post them to the internet. To be honest I was interpreting the sign at Edgell Grove differently. I don't recall the exact wording, but it seemed to me (or maybe I was rationalizing it in favor of my camera) that it listed it along with other prohibitions regarding what could be left at graves. I took it to mean no photographs should be left as remembrances or memorials. I'm not generally a "do it and ask forgiveness later" person, but to photograph is a pretty harmless action. If you are concerned about Edgell Grove, just give them a call and ask them to clarify.
Edgell Grove especially has some fascinating stones, great historical facets. I do avoid photographing for blog, the stones of persons who have died recently unless there is a specific request on findagrave from a family member. But in general I avoid monuments for whom, I assume, there are still people recently grieving. I might take a picture for myself it there is something unique about it. Have you been across the bridge there to the little area tucked away beyond the creek? Sometimes the bushes are so overgrown you would never know it was there. It seemed at first that it was going to be an area for children, but at some point was put into general use.
Thanks for the info. I was only there very briefly. I will look for the area across the bridge when I return. As for the photography, I prefer to err on the side of caution.
ReplyDeleteAlways the best practice. Like your site. If I don't see it on facebook, I will share the link there. a feature suggestion: Magic Wings in South Deerfield (near Yankee Candle) it's the biggest butterfly conservatory nearby-just awesome.
ReplyDeleteOoh. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteI regard to the "no photos", I'd still take them. Vandalism and Mother Nature does so much damage that often a photograph of a headstone is the only thing left proving this person existed. Records are either not kept, deteriorate or worse, burn. I have been asked only once not to photograph a cemetery and I told them that I was working in the manner of historic preservation, wasn't using flash photography and also politely brought up the fact that the person saying so was neither the government entity that owned the cemetery nor the caretaker. He just had family there. I showed him the photos I had taken already to show him that I was being respectful and documentary. I mentioned nothing about the internet nor using them in my art or for profit. Also note: photos taken while committing a crime, like trespassing, are still copyrighted to the photo taker and are protected by such copyright. The owner of the property cannot take your camera or make you delete them.
ReplyDelete