Bedford Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bedford Presbyterian Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4 Church Rd., Bedford, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 3.7 acres (1.5 ha) |
| Built | 1832 |
| Architect | Longfellow, Alexander Wadsworth; Kennedy, Thomas |
| Architectural style | Federal, Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000554 |
| Added to NRHP | June 12, 2007 |
The Bedford Presbyterian Church is a very old and important church building in Bedford, New Hampshire. It's located at 4 Church Road. This white church was built in 1832. But the church group, called a congregation, started much earlier in 1749! For many years, it was the only church in Bedford. In 2007, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special historical site. It's also the oldest Presbyterian church building in New Hampshire and in the whole Presbytery of Northern New England area.
Contents
What Does the Church Look Like?
The Bedford Presbyterian Church stands on a small hill. It's on the west side of Bedford's town center. From this spot, it looks out over the rest of the area.
Building Style and Features
The church is a 1+1⁄2-story building. It's made of wood and has a pointed roof. The outside walls are covered with white clapboard.
It has a tall tower with three parts:
- The first part is square. It has clock faces on each side.
- The second part is an open bell tower. It has arched openings for the bells.
- The top part is an eight-sided section. It has decorative columns. A shiny cushion and a weather vane sit on top.
The front of the church has a grand entrance. It has six tall columns that support a triangular roof section. This section has a half-round window in the middle.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church still has most of its original box pews. These are like small, enclosed seating areas. Some pews were taken out in 1885. This made space for an organ and a choir. A newer church hall connects the main building to an old vestry house from the 1880s.
A Look Back at History
Bedford was settled in the 1730s. Most of the first settlers were Scottish and Irish immigrants. They were mainly Presbyterian. Because of this, the Presbyterian Church became the main religion in Bedford. This was different from many other New England towns. Those towns were usually settled by Congregationalists.
Oldest Presbyterian Church Building
Even though Bedford was not the very first Presbyterian group in New England (Londonderry's is a bit older), this church building is the oldest Presbyterian church building in the entire region. The fancy front entrance with columns was added later in 1896.
See also
