St. Lawrence Cemetery

St. Lawrence cemetery is a beautiful, holy grounds on the Peninsula. Bishop Ignatius Aloysius Reynolds bought the property, roughly 18 acres, on August 26, 1851. The property was part of a farmland formerly known as Magnolia Farm. This new cemetery site would be neighbor to Magnolia Cemetery, the Cooper River, and Lee Street. The design and layout of St. Lawrence followed the popular Victorian aesthetic of the era.

A defining feature of St. Lawrence Cemetery is the ironwork that crowns the entrance. This ironwork was created by Christopher Werner (1805-1875) who immigrated from Germany. Werner entered the carriage-making business when he first came to Charleston, which later led to opening a blacksmith shop which become a foundry.

Though much of his work was destroyed by the great Charleston fire in 1861, his iron gate to the entrance of St. Lawrence still remains. Werner was buried under the iron cross at the entrance to St. Lawrence, which was made in his foundry before his death.

Please reach out to us if you would like a tour of St. Lawrence, or if you would like answers to your questions. Download the Price List (PDF)