Church Of The Atonement Cemetery

Nestled in a wooded area behind a set of train tracks about a quarter-mile off of MD-301 is a small cemetery and the ghost of a church that once stood adjacent to the burial ground.

The house of worship, known as the Church Of The Atonement, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Parish, was constructed in 1875 and presided over by Bishop William Pinkney. It was located on land that was purchased by Enoch Pratt.

A bell tower was added in the 1880s in memory of the Reverend Samuel L. Gordon. Services ended in 1925 as the congregation moved to a new building, and the original church was ultimately torn down in 1947.

All that remains now behind an old-style, counterweighted gate are the stairs that once stood at the entrance to the church, and a cemetery spread out across two areas. The graves are located to the right of the former entrance to the church and historical marker, and another set of gravestones that stand behind the woods to the left of the sign.

This place would likely be forgotten entirely if not for local legends about a witch who was buried in the graveyard. Details seem to point toward Moll Dyer, though the stories are inconsistent at best.