COUCH CEMETERY

Marshfield, MA

Couch Cemetery is one of seven burial grounds in The Town of Marshfield, Massachusetts, but is the only one with available plots for purchase. With space running low and an interest in planning for the future, Town officials engaged Ryan Associates and Merrill Engineering to develop a strategic plan for a cemetery expansion.

The schematic site plan creates a park-like landscape with two new loop roads and designated areas for flush markers and traditional headstones. A new entrance bypasses and screens adjacent properties and provides connections to nearby community amenities and a new service area.

Included are two overlooks at the high points of the site, tree groves, a pond, and a new specialty garden. The focal points of the expansion are a columbarium and memorial pavilion, each offering spaces for quiet reflection and services.