Canterbury Shaker Village: Concord's Window into the Shaker Life
Less than 15 miles north of Concord is Canterbury Shaker Village, one of the oldest and best-preserved Shaker communities in the country. It sits on nearly 700 acres of wooded farmland and consists of 25 original restored Shaker buildings and 4 reconstructed ones. Only six miles to the east is New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, but you wouldn’t know it when you step into the Canterbury Shaker Village.
The more than two dozen buildings of Shaker village are kept separate from the hustle and bustle of the roads around the Speedway by the village’s vast conservation land. An herb garden, orchard, and several Victorian “pocket” flower gardens dot the landscape among buildings that sometimes date to the 18th century; the Victorian gardens are interesting because until the 1850s, most of the only plants were strictly functional.
Four guided tours take visitors through the Shaker village, each with distinct aims to educate about or highlight different aspects of Shaker society. All the tours are included in the price of admission.
• The 75-minute Shaker Story Tour wends a path through the Meeting House, Laundry, and School House while discussing the culture, education, and business that made the Shaker community thrive.
• For those with greater interest in how the Shakers lived, the Shaker Home Tour is an hour-long journey through the Dwelling House that the Canterbury Shakers called home for 200 years.
• Families with young children might enjoy the Shaker Family Tour, a more interactive version of the Shaker Story Tour complete with singing and dancing in the Dwelling House Chapel, penmanship lessons at the School House, and inspection of reproduction items in the Simply Colorful Room.
• Upon Shaker Ground: Growing a Shaker Community focuses on the agricultural and industrial aspects of the Canterbury Shakers. This tour passes through the Sister's Shop, Village Gardens, and Garden Barn where participants learn about Shaker textiles and commercial activities while also perusing the herb garden and the village’s other agricultural aspects.
There are also self-guided tours through much of the village, so you can guide yourself through the village by using one of the maps provided at the visitor’s center. The village boasts a number of hiking trails that allow you to walk around Turning Mill Pond and tour the gardens, among other areas of natural splendor.
Canterbury Shaker Village has several specialty workshops throughout the year, including beekeeping, bird-watching, plen air painting, and instruction in traditional Shaker handicrafts, among others.
The village is open May 14 to October 31, with a few events held after the official closing date, including "Gift in Hand," an Artisan Show that runs Friday to Sunday November 11 to 13 and Christmas at Canterbury on December 3 and 10.
HelloConcord Tip: Don’t neglect Greenwood’s or The Shaker Box Lunch & Farm Stand for a Shaker-inspired meal to make your experience complete.
Posted on Jan 20, 2011 by Matt Delman
