Edward Hughes, The First Parish Burial

The grave of Edward Hughes lies to the right after entering the Churchyard. A local fieldstone and plaque now mark the site of his grave, the first parish burial in December 1716. Sadly, his gravestone, which came from London and would have served as ballast for the ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean, has gone missing. A rubbing exists, created in 1926, and is featured above. Henry Pleasants tells us that Edward Hughes “was Rector of the Church as early as 1704.”

Churchyard
Ancient Yard
Lot 001
Grave 20

“Here lieth the body of Edward Hughes entered ye 6 day of December 1716 Age 56 yeares 9 months.” This grave rubbing is evidence of the gravestone that disappeared sometime after 1926

The bronze plaque indicates the location of Edward Hughes’ grave in the Ancient Yard