The photographs here were taken in the old St. Philip’s grave yard. The land along aide and behind the church. An assumption on my part is this is the oldest section because it is part of the immediate church grounds.

Across the street is the St. Philp’s cemetery. Church street separates the two properties. A cemetery (Greek term for ‘sleeping place’) is land dedicated to burials. A grave yard is a burial area within the church yard/property.

The difference is not a big deal unless you live in an old town like Charleston, or think like me.

The grave yards in town are close to the old buildings. Many of the historical homes look into a grave yard.  Walls that separate properties often have headstones attached and not upright in the ground.

In the US cemeteries came into common use in the mid 1800’s. Church grave yards were becoming full. Charleston had a Yellow Fever out break in the 1850’s. Plantation and farm land on the outskirts of town became cemeteries out of need. The northern part of Charleston’s EBay street’s area has a large number of cemeteries side by side. The Civil War quickly filled parts of these too.

St. Philip’s grave yard, Church Street, Charleston, South Carolina.