Zion Cemetery and Baynard Mausoleum

Take A closer look at Hilton Head’s Historical gem

Story + Photography by Kathleen Walker

Row of heavily weathered, centuries-old headstones is flanked by two live oaks.

Situated on just under 3 acres and nestled beneath a cluster of live oak trees at the edge of a marsh, you might just miss it if you’re traveling along the north end of William Hilton Parkway. Home to the oldest standing structure on the island, Zion Cemetery is a true historical gem right here on Hilton Head.

“Integrity and Uprightness” is the pledge carved on the William E. Baynard tomb, built in 1846. Spanish moss growing from surrounding trees create a canopy above.

Walking around the small plot of hallowed land, you’ll start to notice how very weathered the various gravestones and markers are. Many of the graves date back to the Revolutionary War era, causing some to be nearly illegible due to centuries of exposure. The focal point of the cemetery is Baynard Mausoleum, a single giant stone tomb constructed in 1846 by William E. Baynard, a local plantation owner. The mausoleum resides at the far edge of the cemetery.

The grave of Charles Davant, Pvt. S.C. Militia, 1750-1781 reads, “On 22 October 1781, returning from a patrol with the Patriot Militia, Charles Davant was mortally wounded from ambush near here by Captain Martinangel’s Royal Militia from Daufuskie Island. He managed to ride his horse to his nearby plantation, Two Oaks, where he died. Captain John Leacraft’s Bloody Legion avenged his death.”

A plaque at the entrance to the cemetery reads, “Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery: A Chapel of St. Luke’s Parish, established May 23, 1767, built of wood shortly after 1786 under the direction of Captain John Stoney and Isaac Fripp, was consecrated in 1833. Members of the Barksdale, Baynard, Chaplin, Davant, Fripp, Kirk, Mathews, Pope, Stoney, and Webb families worshipped here. By 1868 the chapel was destroyed.”

While the chapel is long gone, the mausoleum and cemetery remain a historic landmark and serve as an important reminder of a time that came before. This site is now owned and managed by The Heritage Library, a nonprofit library offering a wealth of historical knowledge about the Lowcountry. For additional information about the site, a tour calendar, and more, visit heritagelib.org. Zion Cemetery and Baynard Mausoleum is open daily and free to the public.

[blockquote position=”left”]While the chapel is long gone, the mausoleum and cemetery remain a historic landmark and serve as an important reminder of a time that came before.”[/blockquote]