Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery is the most atmospheric five minutes on Hilton Head, and most visitors drive straight past it. It sits at the corner of William Hilton Parkway and Mathews Drive, in the middle of the island's busy north-end traffic, yet step through the gate and you are under spreading live oaks draped in Spanish moss, among weathered headstones that predate the resort island by nearly two centuries. The site belonged to Zion Chapel of Ease, a small Anglican chapel built for planter families who lived too far from the parish church on the mainland; the Heritage Library, which owns and preserves the site, dates its completion to the late 1780s. The chapel itself is long gone, but its cemetery remains. Among the graves are memorials to four patriots of the American Revolution, including Charles Davant, who was mortally wounded in an ambush by a Tory militia unit and is described as the only known patriot casualty on the island. The most striking monument is the Baynard Mausoleum, a stately tomb built in 1846 by William Baynard, a wealthy plantation owner; the Heritage Library describes it as the oldest existing structure on Hilton Head. Its doors stand open and empty, the result, local history says, of grave robbers in the years after the Civil War. The site is small, quiet and free, and a visit takes only a few minutes, but it offers one of the island's rare direct encounters with its plantation-era past. The Heritage Library, the nearby genealogical and history center, offers lectures and tours on island history, and it also owns the Civil War site of Fort Mitchel in Hilton Head Plantation.
What to look for: the Baynard Mausoleum, with its tabby and brick walls and classical front, is the obvious focus, but take time to read the older headstones, some of the earliest marked graves on the island, and the markers for the Revolutionary War patriots. William Baynard's family were among the island's great cotton planters, and the ruins of their plantation house survive in Sea Pines, so a visit here pairs naturally with that site. The oaks themselves are a highlight, among the most photogenic on the island, especially in the soft light of early morning or late afternoon.
Visiting respectfully: this is a cemetery, and some descendants of those buried here still visit, so walk on the paths, do not climb on monuments, and keep voices low. There are no facilities and little parking, so pull in carefully and keep the visit short. The site is best combined with other north-end stops rather than visited as a destination in its own right. Photographers should avoid blocking the gate or the road.
To go deeper, contact the Heritage Library, whose staff and volunteers lead history programs and can help with genealogical research, and check its calendar for lectures and guided walks. Combine Zion Cemetery with Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park and the Coastal Discovery Museum for a day on the island's layered history, from the colonial planters and the Revolution through the Civil War and the Gullah communities that followed.
What to expect
The experience
A small historic cemetery under live oaks with colonial-era graves, Revolutionary War memorials and the 1846 Baynard Mausoleum; free, with no facilities.
Best time
Early morning or late afternoon for soft light under the oaks and lighter traffic.
How long
Fifteen to thirty minutes.
Tips
Park carefully, stay on the paths, do not climb on monuments, and combine the stop with Mitchelville or the Coastal Discovery Museum.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History lovers and photographers who want a glimpse of the island before the resorts.
- Families
- A quick stop for older children interested in history; not a play space.
- Couples
- A quiet, atmospheric pause under the oaks.
- Pair with
- Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park and the Coastal Discovery Museum.
- Time needed
- Half an hour.
Good questions
Where is Zion Cemetery?+
At the corner of William Hilton Parkway and Mathews Drive on the island's north end.
What is the Baynard Mausoleum?+
A tomb built in 1846 by the planter William Baynard, which the Heritage Library describes as the oldest existing structure on Hilton Head.
Is the chapel still standing?+
No. The chapel of ease, completed in the 1780s, is gone; the cemetery and mausoleum remain.
Who is buried there?+
Island planter families and four patriots of the American Revolution, including Charles Davant, the only known patriot casualty on the island.
Is it free?+
Yes. The cemetery is free to visit and is preserved by the Heritage Library.
