Lower Burial Ground

Kingston’s Lower Burial Ground is a historic Anglican cemetery in Kingston, Ontario, laid out in 1783 in anticipation of Loyalist arrivals after the American Revolution. The site holds the remains of many early Kingston residents, including prominent citizens, Black people enslaved and brought by Loyalists, and sailors who served on the Great Lakes. The Lower Burial Ground Restoration Society works to document, preserve, and share the cemetery’s history through its website and restoration projects.

Visitors and researchers can explore a searchable burial database featuring names, life dates, monument inscriptions, photographs, and additional information where available. The site also offers historical accounts, an alphabetical surname listing, information about the cemetery’s “lost” burial ground, and profiles of notable military and Black interments. Its conservation work includes detailed documentation of gravestones and digital imaging that reveals inscriptions with exceptional clarity. The website also provides information about St. Paul’s Anglican Church, which opened in 1847 and remains active in Kingston’s urban core, along with location details, research links, and acknowledgements of community support.