Spider Gates Cemetery is a small Quaker Cemetery located in Leicester, Massachusetts which is known as the eighth gate to hell. It has so many stories and legends around it that it is one of the most frequently visited spots in the state. However, it can be difficult to find with so many scarce details around its location. Luckily, you can just click the directions tab to the left here and get the map of the trails beginning. If your driving, just look for the large yellow entryway on Manville street(pictured below).
One you reach the entryway, park on the side of the road and take a trip down the path. Its a beautiful trail labeled with hundreds of “do not trespass” signs. About 3/4 of a mile down the trail, the cemetery will be on your right.
Spider Gates Cemetery (officially known as Friends Cemetery) was created in the early 1730’s by a group of Quakers who believed the land possessed special powers. They used the land to not only bury their dead, but worship and perform various incantations. Custom gates resembling a spider web were created to mark the entrance to the grounds. In truth, these gates were added to the mid 1950’s out of respect for tragedy that struck the grounds and an ancient greek story signifying life after death. In 1943 a young boy who was feeling took his life by hanging himself on a tree within the cemetery. This tree still stands and can be seen directly to the the left as you enter the cemetery.
The boy, who was of greek decent, was an artist and gifted at creating paintings and drawings of all kinds. In hope that his soul would come back to life, his family donated the gate entrance to signify the story of Arachne:
This myth tells of Arachne, the daughter of a famous Tyrian purple wool dyer in Hypaepa of Lydia. Due to her father’s skill with cloth dyeing, Arachne became adept in the art of weaving. She became so good at the art that she considered herself to be a greater weaver than the goddess Athena, and challenged the goddess to a weaving contest. In the end, Arachne’s weaving was flawless and she won the contest, but in a final moment of anger, Athena destroyed Arachne’s tapestry and cursed Arachne to live with extreme guilt. Out of sadness, Arachne hanged herself. Taking pity on her, Athena brought her back to life transformed as a spider, to live her life weaving her web.
Others refer to the main gate as the Eighth Gate to hell, saying that if you pass through, the gate will take your soul to meet the devil himself. Regardless, when you pass through the gate and walk to the middle of the cemetery, you will find a barren patch of land where no grass will grow. Its four corners are marked with cement blocks. This area is known as the Alter and is where the original worshiping house used to stand. According to legend, the house was used for satantic worship; to call upon various ghosts, demons, evil spirits and more. Being a place of sacrifice, nothing will now grow on this land.
Moving toward the back of the cemetery, find the headstone belonging to Earle Marmaduke. It’s hard to miss because of a barren circle around his grave. This circle is a result of all the attempts to contact him. As the legend goes, If you walk around Marmaduke’s gravestone 10 times at midnight and say Marmaduke speak to me, kneel down and put your head on the grave stone and listen he would speak to you. Hundreds of visitors have said to hear the moans. Further note another ancient Greek custom with all the coins on the graves, said to be payment of the ferryman’s toll across the River Styx.
The last legend surrounding the cemetery speaks of a hidden cave where the body of a young girl was found. Most attempts to find this cave end in disappointment as there really are no caves, at least not ones big enough to hide a body. Furthermore, there is no proof that a girl was ever found. However, about a mile from the cemetery is a small cave, once used a root cellar, where a 6 - year old boy was beaten and dumped into the river. This occurred in the early 1980’s.
Spider Gate Cemetery is a good day trip to explore a few legends and get close with nature and the local spirits.
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Try to Scare me is NOT intended as a guide to trespassing. We present these sites, locations and stories as local unwritten history and the legends surrounding it that are told to us while traveling. Although we provide locations, and some directions, these articles are intended to be read with the knowledge that some places cannot be visited. We do not encourage trespassing onto private property and do not encourage trespassing to obtain articles, videos, pictures and other evidence to be submitted. Trespassing is illegal and those who disregard this advice will (in most cases) be arrested and charged.