Yew trees were often planted in cemeteries. What is the “narrow cell” referred to in line 15 ? ( MEG 102 ) ( THOMAS GRAY )

In "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the "narrow cell" referred to in line 15 is a metaphor for a grave. The line reads, "Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade, / Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap, / Each in his narrow cell forever laid, / The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." The speaker is describing the cemetery where the villagers are buried, and notes that each person is "forever laid" in their own "narrow cell." The yew tree and rugged elms are a common sight in English churchyards, and serve as a reminder of the passing of time and the inevitability of death.