Each cemetery in the Earltown district preserves a unique chapter of Nova Scotia's pioneer heritage
The Earltown Church Cemetery Company oversees the care and preservation of four historic burial grounds established by the Scottish pioneer families of Earltown, Colchester County. These sites span over 200 years of history and serve as the primary genealogical record for descendants worldwide.
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📍 Highway 326, approximately 2 km north of Earltown Village
The Knox Presbyterian Cemetery is the most historically significant burial site in the Earltown district, directly associated with the former Knox Presbyterian Church that served as the spiritual centre of the community for generations. Many of the earliest Scottish pioneer settlers — who belonged to the Church of Scotland and, after 1843, the Free Church of Scotland — were laid to rest here "in the shadow of the church."
The cemetery contains some of the oldest and most historically significant grave markers in Colchester County. Many headstones bear Gaelic inscriptions alongside English text, reflecting the bilingual culture of the early community. Local historians have conducted guided heritage tours of this site, drawing visitors from across Canada, the United States, and Scotland.
📍 Berrichan Road, Earltown Village
The Earltown Village Cemetery is the largest burial ground in the district, established around 1824 by John Sutherland who needed a place to bury one of his children. Over two centuries, it grew to become the primary resting place for generations of pioneer settlers and their descendants.
Today, the Earltown Village Cemetery holds the remains of hundreds of families who built this community — Sutherlands, MacKays, Munros, Rosses, MacKenzies, and many others whose Scottish surnames echo the parishes of the Highlands. Its records represent the most comprehensive genealogical resource for Earltown family history research.
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📍 Church Road, northeast of Earltown Village
The MacKenzie Cemetery — known in Gaelic as Cladh Mhic Connich — was donated around 1825 by William Baillie for use as a church and graveyard. It holds a place of deep historical significance as the burial site of many families who survived the Highland Clearances.
The Gaelic name of this cemetery reflects the community's determination to preserve its cultural identity in the New World. Many of the headstones here bear the weathered names of men and women who crossed the Atlantic with little more than hope and faith, building lives in the wilderness of what would become Nova Scotia.
📍 Squire MacKay Road, eastern Earltown
The Gunn Cemetery, established before 1826 to serve the eastern fringe of the Earltown settlement, is one of the more remote historic sites in our care. It has long been known as the "Pensioner's Cemetery" — believed to be the final resting place of several military veterans who settled in Earltown after serving in the Napoleonic Wars.
The isolation of the Gunn Cemetery makes its preservation both more challenging and more vital. These military veterans and their families represent a distinct thread in the tapestry of Earltown's history, and our organization is committed to ensuring their memory is not forgotten. Regular maintenance visits and ongoing documentation efforts keep this site accessible and cared for.
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All four of Earltown's historic cemeteries are open to visitors year-round during daylight hours. We warmly welcome genealogists, heritage enthusiasts, and descendants of pioneer families.
Open year-round, dawn to dusk
May through October for optimal road access and visibility
Please treat all grave markers and grounds with the utmost respect. Do not attempt to clean headstones without guidance.
Earltown district, Colchester County, NS — approx. 25 km north of Truro on Hwy 326
Our archive of burial records and genealogy research can help you find the information you need.
Search Burial Records
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