The Old Burying Ground, beside St. Paul's Church on Grand Parade, is the oldest Protestant cemetery in Canada. It was established in 1749 when Halifax was founded and contains graves dating back to the city's first years. Mature trees, worn sandstone markers, and a generally peaceful atmosphere make it one of the more reflective corners of downtown Halifax. Several of the early stones bear military insignia — the eighteenth-century dead include soldiers from the British garrisons and local militia.
The cemetery is a National Historic Site and has been carefully maintained. Guided tours run in summer; plaques throughout explain the historical context of particular monuments and grave sections. St. Paul's Anglican Church, immediately adjacent, is itself the oldest Protestant church in Canada, consecrated in 1750. Together the church and cemetery occupy the western side of the Grand Parade, Halifax's original town square, which is still the site of outdoor events and gatherings.