Located in New Hampshire's White Mountains, Mount Washington is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi. The summit is extremely exposed which results in some wild and unpredictable weather. Even in the summer, it can be very cold and windy on top of Mount Washington. For many years the highest measured wind speed record was held by the weather station on the mountain's summit! This is a very accessible mountain and you can get to the top several ways; on foot, by road or take the cog railway. The latter is an great experience and in our opinion the most fun (hiking would be good too but I am not sure we're up for it these days)
New Hampshire: Canterbury Shaker Village
We have always had a great love for Shaker crafts – particularly their simple furniture design and textiles. So, we decided to take a slight detour on our journey through New England to visit the Shaker Village in Canterbury, NH. The journey itself from the Interstate 93 was along a narrow, curving road lined with trees in their full autumn adornment. The tree line was occasionally broken by openings complete with domestic animals. It reminded us of England (I guess this is why this is New England), including the weather which was grey and overcast!
The Shaker village of Canterbury is set in rolling green hills – a serene and comforting setting. It is clear to see why they chose such a spot. The buildings of the village are plain and their whiteness is starkly set against the green countryside. No Shakers actually live in the Canterbury Village anymore so it is a museum to a religious order which is largely extinct.
The Shakers, a Protestant religious denomination officially called The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, originated in Manchester, England in 1772 under the leadership of Mother Ann Lee, who moved the nine-person group to New York in 1774. The name “Shakers,” originated from the term “Shaking Quakers” and came about as a description of their rituals of trembling, shouting, dancing, shaking and singing. The Shakers built 19 communal settlements that attracted some 200,000 converts over the next century. Strict believers in celibacy, Shakers maintained their numbers through conversion and adoption of orphans. Turnover was very high; the group reached a maximum size of about 6,000 full members in 1850, but now has only four members left.
There are a number of different tours that run throughout the day. On the two times we have visited we’ve been on different tours; ‘Shaker Stories’ which covers the history of the Shakers and how they lived their lives and the ‘Contentment & Well-Being Tour’ which looks at how the Shakers dealt with health issues (physical and mental).
THE SHAKER STORIES TOUR
The Shaker Stories tour takes place around the main dwelling house of the village, which is a large four-level building. As with all things Shaker the house is very organised, being symmetrically divided into the brothers and sisters sides of the building. Other than the division of their dwelling into sexes everything else about the Shakers was communal – they shared their place of worship, gathering (eating and sitting areas) and resting places (not really bedrooms – all they did was literally sleep there, six or eight to a room). Whilst the Shakers believed in frugality they differed from communities like the Amish in their acceptance of technology in making life more productive. They for example adopted electricity at an early stage and on this particular site were generating their own electricity from acid vats at the turn of the 20th century – later moving to steam and gas driven generators. We visited one bathroom in the sister’s side of the dwelling which had wonderfully detailed wood panelling, linoleum flooring, ceramic sinks with hot and cold running water and flushing toilets (they had developed a rudimentary sewage system). This bathroom was pretty much as it would have been around 1905 – and would have compared to any available in the houses of wealthy families in New England. Not many people could live the Shaker way (for one, celibacy would have not worked for me) but there was a lot to admire in their standard of living and the values by which they lived.
THE CONTENTMENT AND WELL-BEING TOUR
This tour visits several different buildings around the Shaker Village Campus.
Despite following a simple life the Shakers believed in innovation and science. The tour takes you through the infirmary where people were treated when they got sick. There was a resident doctor here who treated the sick – they also went out into the community to treat people, even those who were not Shakers (they believed that if they supported the Community they would be more accepted). As well as the infirmary there was a well-equipped dentist surgery, that had the latest equipment available at the time.
As well as physical medical practices the Shakers also practised ‘mindfulness’ as part of their daily life – much of this was integrated with their worship.
The tour goes out into the fields to talk about the farming practices of the Shakers. They understood the importance of good nutrition for a healthy life.
The last stop on the tour is the ‘Syrup House’ which was used for distilling sarsaparilla syrup for medicinal purposes by members of the community.
Planning your visit to Canterbury Shaker Village
| Address: | 288 Shaker Rd, Canterbury, NH 03224 |
| Website: | https://www.shakers.org/ |
| Telephone: | T:(603) 783-9511 |
| Hours: | May 9 – September 4: Tuesdays-Sundays, 10am-4pm. Guided tours at 11am & 2pm. September 5 – October 25: Daily, 10am-5pm. Guided tours at 11am, 1pm, & 3pm. October 26 – November 1: Daily, 10am-4pm. Guided tours at 11am & 2pm. November – December: Private Outdoor Guided Tours available by appointment. |
| Admission Fees | Adults $20 |
Best time to visit Concord, New Hampshire
Coastal and south New Hampshire weather is very similar to that of New York or New Jersey: very changeable, with moderate precipitation all over the year, brief heat waves in summer and very cool days in winter and early spring.
In these regions – where snow is concentrated in the winter months – late-spring, late-summer and early-fall are the best months for visits.
Fall’s foliage spectacle causes many thousands of weekenders to visit New Hampshire, so you may want to avoid Autumn’s weekends if you want to skip the crowds.
Where to stay near Canterbury Shaker Village
1. THE BLACK SWAN INN
Located on 3 acres overlooking the Winnipesaukee River, this inn features individually decorated Victorian-inspired rooms with free Wi-Fi. Tanger Outlet Center is 2 miles away. A full breakfast is included and served daily.
A flat-screen cable TV is offered in each guest room at Black Swan Inn. Guest rooms feature walnut and oak paneling and antique furnishings. Some rooms feature private bathrooms and other rooms offer shared bathroom facilities.
Guests of Inn Black Swan can relax in the living room by the fire. If they prefer, guests can sit on one of the inn’s large porches. Guests can also stroll on the riverfront walkway or visit the gardens and arboretum on site.
2. AIKEN MANOR
3. THE LAKE HOUSE AT FERRY POINT
Located on Lake Winnisquam, this charming Sanbornton Lake House offers free Wi-Fi and uniquely decorated rooms. The Lakeview Golf Club is a 10 minute drive from the hotel.
The spacious rooms at the Lake House at Ferry Point feature hardwood floors and wood furnishing. A private bathroom is also included.
Breakfast is served each morning and features hot coffee or tea along with fresh fruit and pastries.
Guests can relax on the terrace or the gazebo overlooking the lake. Free kayaks and paddleboats are available.
More to Explore
