There are some remarkable monuments built of native calico rock that abounds in large quantities in this area. Some of the columns of the Capitol in Washington are made of this rock.
1014 Ballenger Creek Pike, P.O. Box 216
Point of Rocks, Maryland 21777
301-874-2995
St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish Cemetery, which surrounds this historic building, includes graves dating from 1843. Two families, those of Colonel Daniel Duvall and John Wirts (Virts), donated land for the church and cemetery. It was largely through the efforts of Ann Gelt Duvall that St. Paul’s was built, and she was honored by being the first person to be buried in the graveyard. Several unusual gravestones in the cemetery were cut from indigenous Calico Rock, a glaciated multicolored conglomerate.
The Cemetery is open every day during daylight hours only. Part of the Diocese of maryland, St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish holds services every Sunday and on Christian holidays throughout the year. Its congregation welcomes visitors and new members.
Rules and Regulations
St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish Cemetery (hereafter, the Cemetery) is governed by the Vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish. The Vestry may make such Rules and Regulations as it deems requisite for the good of the Cemetery. these Rules and Regulations apply to all current and future users/lot owners of the Cemetery.
Visitors
1.All persons on the premises will be held responsible for any damage they cause. Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by and supervised by a responsible adult.
2.Sitting or standing on monuments or headstones is prohibited.
3.Depositing rubbish of any kind (including cigarette butts) upon the premises is prohibited.
4.Alcoholic beverages, narcotics, fires of any kind, and firearms are prohibited in the Cemetery. (Firearms used by the military are permitted at military funerals.)
5.No dogs except service dogs for the handicapped persons shall be permitted in the Cemetery.
6.Any person who injures or disturbs any monument, tree, plant, memorial, or anything else in the Cemetery is punishable under state law.
7.Representatives of St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish may exclude from the grounds any person who disobeys these rules.
Vehicular Traffic
1.No motor vehicle shall park on any road in such a way that impedes the flow of traffic.
2.Entrance is prohibited after dark. No vehicle shall be parked in the Cemetery overnight without Vestry approval. Vehicles left unattended at night ay be towed.
3.Vehicles shall not proceed at a speed greater than 10 miles per hour in the Cemetery.
4.Driving or parking on Cemetery lots and walkways between lots is prohibited.
Memorials
1.Only one above-ground memorial (marker, monument, headstone, footstone, or other structure) not to exceed width of the grave in size, will be allowed, even when two persons are buried one above the other or cremains from more than one person are buried in the same gravesite. Additional ground-level memorials or corner stones (set flush with the turf) are permitted within the plot.
2.Shared markers for family plots may be centered at the head of the gravesites.
3.No curbing, fencing, hedge, or any other mode of enclosure will be permitted to be placed around or enclose any lot or lots.
4.Memorial dealers, contractors, and their employees will be held responsible for damage done on the premises while at work there. Any damage done to the headstones, sod, trees, or shrubbery will, when possible, be repaired at the expense of the contractor.
5.Material for memorials is not permitted on the premises far in advance of its use or in an unprepared condition. Blocks of stone must be dressed to the design and dimensions ready for setting. Stonework shall not be brought into the Cemetery when the ground is not in suitable condition or when a proper foundation has not been prepared.
6.All monuments, headstones, markers, and footstones shall be placed on a foundation.
7.Contractors will not be permitted to work in the Cemetery on Sundays or holidays.
8.If any monument, structure, effigy, or inscription placed in or upon any lot shall be determined by the Vestry to be inappropriate, offensive, improper, or injurious to the appearance of the surrounding grounds, the Vestry shall have the right to remove the said object at the cost to the lot owner. (Approval prior to erecting monuments that are unusual or dissimilar to those existing in the Cemetery, or that may contain controversial inscriptions, should be obtained from the Vestry.)
9.Memorials are the property of the family members, who are responsible for their care and maintenance. Owners will be responsible for resetting monuments that lean or fall over and for repairing damaged monuments.
Flowers, Plantings, and Decorations
The Cemetery grounds are devoted to the sacred interment of the dead. St. Paul’s works hard to maintain a serene setting in keeping with our historic site. Decorative items should not detract from the architectural environment, existing stone monuments, and pastoral setting.
1.The Vestry or its designee may remove any decorations if they become unsightly.
2.Placement of flowers in unbreakable (i.e., not glass or ceramic) containers is permitted, provided that they do not exceed the width of the headstone.
3.Artificial flowers that resemble real plants are permitted; however, the groundskeepers will remove arrangements that become faded, dirty, damaged, or otherwise unattractive.
4.Seasonal floral decorations or wreaths for holidays may remain for one month after the end of each holiday, at which time family members should remove and dispose of the items. Groundskeepers will remove any seasonal decorations remaining beyond that period.
5.Small American flags may be placed on graves for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veteran’s Day. All other decorative garden flags are prohibited in the Cemetery.
6.Knick-knacks, statuettes, plaques, Christmas trees, stuffed animals, balloons, framed photographs, decorative sculptures, metal hangers, and other home or garden decorations are prohibited.
7.Solar lights, candles, lanterns, and other lamps or lighting of any kind are prohibited.
8.Groundskeepers will attempt to mow around existing plantings, but they cannot be responsible for damage to flowers, plants, or containers. No bushes or shrubs, myrtle, ivy, or similar spreading ground covers shall be planted covering graves or between graves.
9.If branches or roots of any existing tree or shrub become detrimental to adjacent lots or Cemetery property, the tree or shrub may be removed.
Burial Requirements
1.All interments, disinterments, and removals are subject to the laws and regulations of the State of maryland, Frederick County, and other applicable government authorities.
2.Proof of ownership is required prior to burial.
3.Double-depth interment of a relative, followed by later burial of another person in the same lot is allowed by the Cemetery, provided that notice of intention to do so is received in writing prior to the first burial.
4.Burial of cremains of as many as four persons will be permitted in one grave site. (Only one above-ground marker is permitted, however.)
5.Notice for opening a grave must be received by the Vestry or gravediggers at least 48 hours before the time of the funeral.
6.The purchase price of one grave site must be paid in full before interment is made in a new lot. the grave opening charge must be paid to the funeral director or gravedigger before an interment is made.
7.No Sunday or holiday funerals will be held unless approved by the Rector of St. Paul’s. (Holidays are New Year’s Day, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.)
Burial Services
St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish and Cemetery requires that a Christian burial service be used. Other burial services may be used with approval of the Rector.
Sale/Purchase of Lots
1.Purchase price of any lot must be paid in full before any burial.
2.Upon payment of full purchase price, the owner or his or her transferees shall have perpetual right to exclusive use, occupation, and possession thereof for the sole purpose of interment of human remains. Other use, division, or improvement of any lot is prohibited.
3.The transfer or sale of any lot is subject to the approval of the Vestry. Lots sold or transferred will be subject to the Cemetery rules and regulations.
4.The Vestry shall have the right to correct any errors that may have been made in conducting sales, conveyance, transfers, or interments by substituting lot or lots of equal value and, to the extent possible, similar location. The owner will be notified in writing and may appeal the decision to the Vestry. In the event that an agreement cannot be reached, the Cemetery will refund the original purchase price of involved lots.
5.Any person desiring to move or remove remains from a lot must notify the Vestry and satisfy all state and county regulations.
6.Cemetery charges for grave opening and closing will be paid to the funeral director or his designee.
7.No signs indicated that a lot is ‘for sale’ will be permitted.
8.Grave purchases (for individual lots) are available in sections R and S only and are restricted to active members on the rolls of St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish. Requests for grave purchases may be made to the Vestry.
Adopted by St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish Vestry 6/26/ 2011
Supersedes Rules and Regulations of October 1993
Contributions to assist in preserving these hollowed grounds are welcome.
