Other Name(s)
Church Street Cemetery
Rood's Head Cemetery
Links and documents
n/a
Construction Date(s)
1848/01/01 to 1848/12/31
Listed on the Canadian Register:
2010/02/15
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Church Street Cemetery, located on Church Street in the Town of Lockeport, Nova Scotia, is the final resting place of many of the town’s early residents. Municipal heritage designation applies to the cemetery lot and its landscape features.
Heritage Value
The Church Street Cemetery, at one time called the Rood’s Head Cemetery, was established in 1848 on land deeded for the purpose to the trustees by Lewis P. Churchill, a prominent merchant in the community. The land as deeded measured one hundred fifty feet by one hundred feet and was surrounded on all sides by other lands of Mr. Churchill. Its heritage value lies in its being the burial ground where many of the town's early inhabitants were laid to rest.
More than fifty of the descendants of the original settlers of Lockeport are buried here, including Lewis P. Churchill, his wife and several of their children. Lewis Churchill was a direct descendant of Josiah Churchill, one of the first two people to arrive and settle at Lockeport, then called Ragged Island, around 1761.
Others interred in this cemetery include Senator John Locke and at least thirty-one other members of the extended Locke family who were descendants of Dr. Jonathan Locke, an original settler. Also buried here are at least two children from two of the nine Icelandic families who came to Lockeport in 1875, but had all moved west by 1882, except for one couple that remained.
This cemetery ceased being used around 1885, presumably because it was filled to capacity. It was designated as a registered heritage property in December, 1992.
Source: Municipal heritage property files, “Church Street Cemetery”, Town of Lockeport, NS.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Church Street Cemetery include:
- location on a hill that overlooks the harbour;
- original monuments;
- mature tree in centre of cemetery;
- grass-covered lot;
- line of mature evergreen trees along the street side.
Recognition
Jurisdiction
Nova Scotia
Recognition Authority
Local Governments (NS)
Recognition Statute
Heritage Property Act
Recognition Type
Municipally Registered Property
Recognition Date
1992/12/14
Historical Information
Significant Date(s)
1885/01/01 to 1885/01/01
Theme - Category and Type
- Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
- Philosophy and Spirituality
Function - Category and Type
Current
- Religion, Ritual and Funeral
- Mortuary Site, Cemetery or Enclosure
Historic
Architect / Designer
n/a
Builder
n/a
Additional Information
Location of Supporting Documentation
Municipal Heritage Property files, "Church Street Cemetery", Town of Lockeport municipal office, 26 North Street, PO Box 189, Lockeport, NS B0T 1L0
Cross-Reference to Collection
Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier
50MNS2072
Status
Published
Related Places
n/a