Barrett House – New Ipswich, New Hampshire
You have probably heard about, read about or maybe visited historic homes around the United States but the Barrett House has something that not many others offer. Here you will see a stunning home that remains very much like it was right after it was built. The elegance, the stunning design and furnishings are just as they were when the Barrett family lived there.
The history of the home tells about how Charles Barrett was a big business man in the New Ipswich area in the early 19th century. His son was getting married and so Charles and the bride’s father decided to build them a home that they would be proud to entertain and live in. Since the business ventures were doing well, such as the glass factory he invested in, a toll road, canal system and New Hampshire’s first cotton mill, he had the necessary funds to build this stunning home.
The house was called Forest Hall. The stately architecture and lavish furnishings convey a confident urbanity and sophistication reflecting both of the family’s aspirations for their children. The house has numerous reception rooms designed for entertaining in a cosmopolitan manner. There is an elaborate allee, which was added later, has a flight of stone steps flanked by maples rising up the hillside behind the house. This allee leads to a summerhouse rather than a water feature that most of them lead to.
New Ipswich was a town that was set to grow into a major community in the beginning of the 19th century. The town was bypassed by the railroad and therefore this lead to a decline in the area industry. Most of the industry moved to the rail towns. Although this was tough for the community economically it was a real blessing for the house. It preserved the historic character of the town and region.
There is a garden on the property referred to as Grandmother’s Garden. It was installed in the 1950’s for the resident overseer to use for vegetables. It was decided to transform it into an old-fashioned grandmother’s garden such as the Barrett’s might have had during the colonial revival era. The family spent their summers at the house.
In those days gardens were not huge like those laid out in the European manner. They were designed to be tended by the woman of the house and filled with things such as hollyhocks, poppies, and morning glories. Today the garden has blue lace flower, bishop’s flower, fuller’s teasel, hyacinth bean, and Spanish flag, which she starts from seed each spring. A soaker hose, concealed under a thick mulch of shredded leaves, ensures a water supply for the thirsty annuals. The plot, which is very popular with visitors, produces a profusion of bloom from mid July until frost.
Come to visit the house and see history come alive. The house was built in the early 1800’s.
Open: June through October 15
Second and Fourth Saturday of the month
Tours at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Admission: $5, Historic New England members and New Ipswich residents free
Locaiton: Forest Hall
79 Main Street
New Ipswich, N.H. 03071
Phone:(860) 928-4074
email:BarrettHouse@HistoricNewEngland.org
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