Last updated: March 16, 2022
Article
Masonry
Historic cemeteries can contain a variety of historic masonry features: monuments, sculptures, tombs, vaults, mausoleums, walls and buildings. Historic buildings are often still in active use for administration or maintenance purposes, and their care should follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Stone walls so common in Massachusetts’ historic cemeteries should be preserved intact, repaired quickly after damage, and kept clear of non-historic and invasive vegetation. Stones should not be harvested for any other use in the cemetery or anywhere else.
Tombs, vaults and mausoleums can be difficult to maintain, and the conservation of stone structures should be undertaken in consultation with professionals. Table tombs can be unstable, creating a safety concern, or they can collapse and become embedded in turf. Mausoleums and vaults should be monitored for signs of frost heaves and moisture such as displaced stones, sinkholes on earthen roofs, icicles forming at mortar joints, or water seepage through walls. Only a structural engineer, architect or architectural conservator experienced with historic masonry structures should assess these burial structures, with work carried out according to preservation standards by skilled masons and conservators.
Monuments, tombs and grave markers are the single feature that visually identifies a historic landscape as a cemetery. They can also be the most prominent character-defining features that, in turn, are the most challenging to maintain. Markers vary significantly in design, size, age, and stone type, and can exhibit a range of deterioration from staining, cracks and spalls to delamination and total collapse. A preservation plan should determine the significance of the markers within the context of the larger landscape, noting their design and attribution, including exceptional carvings, significant people, or commemorative statuary. Stone conservation projects should be undertaken in accordance with the preservation plan and in order of priority.