by Lance R. Mayer

Excerpted from "The Care of Old Cemeteries and Gravestones", Markers I: The Journal of the Association for Gravestone Studies

Simple maintenance is an important first step in the conservation of any graveyard. Well-kept cemeteries tend to discourage vandalism. Uncontrolled growth of trees and weeds not only hides loiterers or vandals, but can cause the widening of cracks in already damaged stones, or even cause the toppling of stones. For example, large, unpruned trees have been known to destroy several gravestones with the fall of a single dead limb. The regular repair of fences and mowing of grass will emphasize to members of the community that their old cemetery is an important part of the town, and a well lettered sign can underscore the point.

Power mowers, when carelessly used, have scarred and broken old tombstones; maintenance personnel should be made aware of both the importance of the monuments and of the fact that the types of stone used in old gravestones are softer and more easily damaged than are modern granite markers. If possible, the grass growing closest to old gravestones should be either clipped by hand or cut with a rotating plastic filament-type cutter which will not damage the stones. An English book suggests keeping sheep in the churchyard to keep grass short! A more practical solution may be reseeding with a variety of grass which does not grow so tall that it needs frequent cutting.

Improving visibility of a graveyard from the road or illuminating it at night are reported to decrease vandalism. Citizen’s complaints to the police, if a graveyard is a hangout for destructive juveniles or derelicts, can also help. In extreme cases, cemeteries have been fenced and locked by local authorities; this may, however, keep out scholars and the interested public without deterring vandals.