Trinity churchyard is a small but captivating burial ground including the city’s oldest carved tombstone and many graves dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

This quaint site was inaugurated in 1697 and is part of the Episcopal Parish of Trinity Church, which has three separate burial grounds in the city of New York, including St. Paul’s on Broadway and Trinity Cemetery in Washington Heights. The cemetery acts as the final resting place to many past residents, including signatories of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution like Alexander Hamilton, who the Broadway show is based upon.

Many of the stone carvings have worn away over time, but you can still discover a variety of ‘memento mori’ symbolism etched into the cracked headstones, featuring winged hourglasses, chiselled faces and flying skulls. Personally, I had not seen this style of carving before, so found the different examples particularly interesting.

One distinct grave of note is that of Richard Churcher, (a young boy who sadly died at age five), as his tombstone is said to be the oldest gravestone in New York. The second is that of James Leeson who asked for a Masonic cypher to be inscribed on his tombstone, translating to ‘Remember Death’. One of the larger monuments in the churchyard, located in the Northeast corner, is the Soldiers’ Monument, in honour of Revolutionary War soldiers held in captivity in New York.

Once you have wandered around, turn your attention to the church. Unfortunately, the original building was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1776 but the structure which stands here today, was designed by Richard Upjohn, the renowned architect responsible for the impressive Green-Wood Cemetery entrance gates. The Gothic revival spire and magnificent stained-glass windows make it well worth a trip inside!