welcome
entrance gates of ancient cemetery
close up of tombstone skull with wings
tombstones at sunset in ancient cemetery
entrance gates of ancient cemetery
Our Mission Statement
The Friends of Ancient Cemetery is a volunteer organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting the historical and cultural significance of Yarmouth Massachusetts' oldest burying ground.
News & Announcements
Cemetery Data Spreadsheet updated, May 2025
Our master spreadsheet with new data has been updated and posted to the website. The rich history contained in this document provides a window into the changing religious, social, and cultural community attitudes toward death and dying over the three centuries represented in this historical burying ground. Be sure to visit the page and review this amazing resource.
Spring Volunteer Kickoff and Social May 2025
After a long winter it was great to get together again at the Yarmouth DPW to visit, discuss the coming year's work, answer questions and see a slide presentation of our progress since 2019. Bill Bullock was there to make sure our volunteers had all the supplies they needed, including tshirts. Over 1,500 stones have been cleaned and hundreds of family data sheets with genealogy information have been compiled. Stone cleaners, including our 2 newest, are already getting back in the cemetery to start work.
Friends of Ancient Cemetery : Programs & Progress 2019 - 2024
This presentation was given by Laurel Gabel in September 2024 at the Town of Yarmouth DPW office to show town officials and those that have provided grants what we have accomplished in the last five years.
Fannin Lehner Consultants, June 2024
We were fortunate to have the Fannin - Lehner Consultants working in Ancient Cemetery during the week of June 24th. Click the image (then click "slideshow" at the top right of the screen, then click each slide to advance) to see photos of the restoration work they did on gravestones, including those belonging to Sylvanus Matthews, Deacon Samuel Thacher, and the Hamblin Family Monument. Donations and grants make this work possible. Please consider a gift to allow us to continue this work.
New : An Analysis of Epitaphs from Ancient Cemetery Gravestones
Visit our research page to read this new report.
View a spreadsheet of researched burials in Ancient Cemetery
Free Self-Guided Tour at Ancient Cemetery
Visit the gravestones for those Lost at Sea, a self-guided tour narrated by Judi Trainor and produced by Maria Ferrari. The tour begins at the main entrance on Center St. Bring your cell phone or ipad, capture the QR code and follow the audio instructions along with the video maps. The tour can be viewed online. It’s a fun and educational activity for family and friends. Thank you for support from the Mid-Cape Cultural Council.
Click on the image below to begin the tour or there is also a metal sign at the cemetery entrance with a QR code.
Announcing a new addition to the SHOP!
A unique, quality jigsaw puzzle of Ancient Cemetery images is now available. Created specifically to provide hours of entertainment, it arrives in a sturdy black box with the guiding puzzle image on top. Final puzzle is approx 11x14 inches, 252 pieces of fun!
Your purchase will help us continue the work of preserving, protecting, and promoting the historical and cultural significance of Yarmouth Massachusetts' oldest burying ground. All products are sourced from high quality vendors.
Get ready to SHOP!
News & Announcements Archives
To see archived events, please click here.
Contribute to
Friends of Ancient Cemetery
The Friends of Ancient Cemetery, Inc. is a non-profit, all volunteer effort to preserve, and document carved records in Yarmouth's oldest burying ground. Through your tax-deductible support, you can help us continue to preserve our community's history for generations to come.
We are grateful for donations, large or small.
Thank you for your help.
Credit card, debit card or paypal accepted.
Patience Eldridge, d. 1832, age 92