FEATURED CEMETERY PHOTO
Photo/Image Courtesy of Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Volunteers

Cemetery NumberNT003
TownNEWPORT
Cemetery NameCOMMON BURIAL GROUND
Find A Grave (Opens in New Tab) Go to Find a Grave
Graves ListDisplay Graves List
LocationFAREWELL ST
StateRI
DirectionE
Pole Number 
Distance20
Map Number 
Page Number 
Plat Number 
Deed Book 
Deed Page 
Size in Feet600
Size in Feet1000
Inscriptions8039
Fieldstones 
Tombs 
Exist?YES
Last seen date?2019
Newest1999
Oldest1660
VandalismY
Veteran 
PoleG
CommentA land grant to Newport by Dr. John Clarke, 1640. Bayles' "History of Newport County," NY, 1888, describes it thus: "The "Common Ground," so called, is the oldest public cemetery in Newport. It was laid out about 1665. It remains today in all its primitive surroundings, and the quaint headstones of common slate, with their rude inscriptions, awaken a feeling of veneration which surrounds this spot with no little degree of interest. Here may be seen the graves of many of the early governors of the colony, that of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the graves of our early merchants and clerical worthies. Many stones are dedicated the memory of old sea captains. The cemetery contains twenty stones on which armorial ensigns are cut; all of these lie flat on the surface of the ground while most were originally box tombs, and of course have, like most of the early stones in this ground, suffered every sort of injury, even in a fewcases, mutilation. Among the stones on which family arms are cut may be mentione the Cranstons, Sanford, Bayley, Wanton, Thurston, Chaloner, Buckmaster, Freebody, Vernon, Ellery, Sears, Gardner and Ward. One might almost write a history of Newport in this common ground, so full are the inscriptions on the stones erected here" (pp. 542-543).
Conditiongood
Enclosurestone wall
Gateiron gate
Growthgrass-well kept
Terrainhilly moderate
Cemetery Location
Cemetery Burial Map N/A
 

ADDITIONAL CEMETERY PHOTOS/MAPS