Man So Scared Of Being Buried Alive He Had A Window Fitted Into Grave

A man who had a fear of being buried alive had a window fitted into his grave so people could peer down and check he was really dead.

Dr Timothy Clark Smith was so concerned about the prospect of being buried alive that he set about creating his own unique final resting place that included a viewing window and a bell that he could ring in case he woke up under ground.

The grave is still at Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, Vermont, and has become a bit of a tourist attraction, with people visiting the site to try and peer down the window to catch a glimpse of the late doctor.

TikTok user @bobbiecurtislee posted about the unusual grave, explaining: "Timothy patented the design for his own gravesite; not only did he include a window on his tombstone, he also built a contraption that included a bell.

"In the case that Timothy woke up underground, he could pull a string and ring the bell to signal for help.

"Timothy passed away on Halloween in 1893 and he never needed to use the bell.

"The window to his grave is still there, although the visibility to see inside of it is very low after the years."

The creepy story left a few TikTokers feeling a little uncomfortable, with one person posting: "Imagine walking by and you hear the bell ring."

Planet Weird

Another wrote: "I have the chills after watching this video."

While someone else said: "Pretty eerie. I read that back in those days the bell thing was very common because many people were scared of being buried alive."

According to vermonter.com, the unusual burial vault actually has two rooms and Dr Smith is buried down there alongside his wife.

The vault has stairs which lead to the two rooms within, one of which contains the shaft for the viewing window.

Local legend also claims that a hammer and chisel were placed near Dr Smith's remains should he find himself awake and in need of a quick exit.

But anyone hoping to visit to try and see the doctor inside his grave will be left disappointed, as the site also explains that due to 'condensation and plant growth inside the shaft' you can no longer see anything inside.

Topics: Weird, tiktok

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19