Bristol, Rhode Island - The Most Famous Tombstone In New England

Address:: 48 Court Street, Bristol, RI
Directions:: Bristol Historical & Preservation Society
Hours:: M-W 1-5, also Su 1-4 in summer. (Call to verify)
Phone:: 401-253-7223

Visitor Tips and News About The Most Famous Tombstone In New England

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Bristol, Rhode Island - The Most Famous Tombstone In New England

Sarah Swan died April 17, 1767, at age 20. Her headstone was carved by a cousin, William Coy (who was only 19), and was topped with a lavish carving of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden It is -- according to curator Ray Battcher -- the most famous headstone in New England because Puritans didn't ordinarily place that type of ornamentation on their headstones. Weren't Puritans already 100 years past their prime in 1767?

The tombstone is no longer outside, but is tucked into a corner of Bristol Historical & Preservation Society, which is in an 1828 Bristol County jail that still has its original cells. [RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 04/18/2007]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Train-Augmented McDonald's, Fall River, MA - 6 mi.
Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, Fall River, MA - 6 mi.
Battleship Massachusetts, Fall River, MA - 6 mi.
The Feet and the Wave, Newport, RI - 13 mi.

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November 26, 2009