In the town of Salem, situated in the southwestern Stockholm suburbs of Rönninge and Tumba, there is a 12th century church on the shore of Lake Born. As far as what is known, its cemetery has been used as long as the church has. Until 1667, the parish was known as Slem, an old Scandinavian word of lament (akin to slime) used here, according to some sources, because the remains of St. Botvid were removed from the church in 1129. In the 18th century, from the highway between Stockholm and Södertälje (E4 of today), one had to open a massive wooden portal in a little stone gatehouse to get into the cemetery. Inside, a log cabin for community use would be passed in getting up onto the hill that the church is on, near the customary so-called "vapenhus" where weapons had to be left before going in to worship. Ever since 1890 a local opinion has been known that the graveyard is too wide and large, but the ideal location on a peninsula jutting out into the lake has prevented it from being cut down in size. This is the famous Salem Churchyard on the water, whither it has been the fantasy or yearning of many a traveler passing on the highway to arrange a final resting place. There are lush trees near the Thorman grave from 1808 and nearer the surrounding wall a fine iron urn on a monument to Barbara Cassel née Strokirk. On the north side there is a terraced grove with the graves of other well known families. The ancient church building was remodeled and enlarged in the 1400's and 1600's. The mausoleum named for his noble dynasty is thought to have been built when Baron Carl Henrik Wrede died in 1654. Its tall and odd shape is due to the problem of constructing it on the steep hill descending from the church on that side.The Church of Sweden still runs this cemetery through its Salem Parish. (J T Demitz)