About this property
The Bedford Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian church building at 4 Church Road in Bedford, New Hampshire. The white clapboard structure was built in 1832 for a congregation organized in 1749 and was for many years the town's only church. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It is the oldest Presbyterian church building in the state and in the Presbytery of Northern New England. Bedford Presbyterian Church is on the western edge of Bedford's dispersed village center, on the south side of Church Road just west of its junction with Bedford Center Road. It is set on a rise, from which it overlooks the rest of the center. It is a 1+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior. It has a three-stage tower: the first stage is square, with clock faces on each side, the second is an open belfry with arched openings, and the third is an octagonal drum with paneled pilasters, which is topped by a gilt cushion and weather vane. The main facade is fronted by a six-column Ionic portico, the columns supporting an entablature and pedimented gable with half-round window at the center. The interior of the church still has most of its original box pews, some having been removed in 1885 to make room for an organ and choir. A modern church hall wing joins the building to an 1880s vestry house. Bedford was settled in the 1730s, by predominantly Presbyterian Scottish and Irish immigrants. As a result, the Presbyterian Church became the town's established religion, unlike many New England communities, which were usually settled by Congregationalists. Although Bedford was not the first Presbyterian congregation in New England (Londonderry's is older by a few years), this church is the oldest Presbyterian church building in the region. The front portico was added in 1896. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Media related to Bedford Presbyterian Church at Wikimedia Commons
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Bedford Presbyterian Church
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Questions about this property
When was Bedford Presbyterian Church listed on the National Register?
Bedford Presbyterian Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 11, 2007.
What type of historic resource is Bedford Presbyterian Church?
Bedford Presbyterian Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Bedford Presbyterian Church?
The period of significance for Bedford Presbyterian Church is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1749.
Can I research the history near Bedford Presbyterian Church?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bedford Presbyterian Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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