South Church Memorial Columbarium Garden
Purchase a Resting Place
A new cremated remains area at the South Church Burial Grounds
The Memorial Columbarium Garden will be constructed on the corner of the property bordered by School Street and Central Street. With pathways leading from Central Street and the parking lot, it will be fully accessible and welcoming to all and designed for gathering. The design includes benches, a labyrinth for walking meditation, and a butterfly garden. It is immediately adjacent to our fenced playground, making it a multi-use space for people of all ages.
Since 1710, the South Parish burial grounds have been a sacred place where families have buried their loved ones and come to honor their memories. With the cemetery grounds at capacity, the opportunities to purchase plots or bury our loved ones here were themselves passing away. And so, the South Church Memorial Garden was conceived. Construction will begin in early spring 2025 with completion expected by the end of summer.
Niches for burial of cremated remains will be available in both a columbarium wall and a garth.
A columbarium is a structure that holds urns containing cremated remains.
A garth is a yard or garden with spaces to bury urns containing cremated remains.
Burial niches are available for purchase. Cost includes interment and engraving. We are offering a pre-construction discount of ten percent.
- Garth Plot (in-ground)
- 1 urn: $4,000
- 2 urns: $6,000
- 1 urn: $4,000
- Columbarium Wall Niche (above-ground)
- 2 urns in half niche: $6,000
- Up to 6 urns in full niche: $10,000
- 2 urns in half niche: $6,000
- Individual Space in Columbarium Pillar (South Church members only)
- 1 urn: $1,500
- Entire Columbarium Pillar
- Up to 16 urns: $20,000
The lot is not transferable unless it is willed.
To purchase a burial niche for yourself or your family, please contact us at 978-475-0321, ext. 100 or [email protected]
Burial niches in the South Church Memorial Garden are available for anyone and everyone who is interested. If the pricing is out of reach for you financially, please speak privately with Senior Pastor Dana Allen Walsh.
LOCATION
If purchasing a ½ niche for 2 urns, the next available ½ niche will be assigned by the Cemetery Administrator. Only a purchase of a full niche lot for 6 urns or a garth lot will have a choice in the placement plot.
URN SIZE
Urns may be no larger than 1’0″ cubed (12’x12″12″)
THE MEMORIAL GARDEN COLUMBARIUM ALLOWS:
- Flowers and mementoes may only be placed on top of garth capstone or niche capstone.
- One standard American flag with a Veteran’s Administration issued flag holder placed in the earth behind the garth or niche.
- Holiday decorations | We welcome wreaths, baskets, and small evergreen decorations during the winter holidays. All winter decorations should be removed by March 1, weather permitting. After March 1, any items left behind will be removed by cemetery staff.
THE MEMORIAL GARDEN (COLUMBARIUM) DOES NOT ALLOW:
- Plantings or other landscaping.
- Artificial or silk flowers.
- Stones used as ground cover or decoration, as they pose a safety hazard to cemetery staff and visitors.
- Solar lights, eternal lights, vigil lights.
- Shepherd’s hooks, spinners, pinwheels, balloons, wind chimes.
- Glass of any kind.
- Mementos or tributes that impede cemetery operations or detract from the natural beauty of the grounds.
Engraving will be on top of niche capstone or garth capstone only.
- South Church will provide all engraving, using a centered uniform font, where the point size may vary on the number of characters in one’s name.
- The only honorifics allowed are Dr., Rev., and active military rank.
- Name line will be in the format of First Middle Last.
- Middle name may be truncated to an initial depending on space.
- Dates will be in the format of MON 99, 9999.
- Capstones will be engraved in the order of death.
- Cemetery Administrator will approve final engravings with our monument company.
