Architecture Trail

Tristam Coffin House
Built by one of Newbury’s first settlers, the Tristam Coffin House was continuously occupied by the Coffin family for seven succeeding generations and now chronicles the evolution of domestic life in rural New England over three centuries. The structure, which contains the family's furnishings, began as a simple dwelling built in the post-medieval style around 1678 by Tristam Coffin. His family lived, cooked and slept in two or possibly three rooms. About 1700, the house was more than doubled in size to provide living space for a married son and his family. As the family grew, partitions were added and lean-tos built so that different generations could continue to live together under one roof. In 1785, two Coffin brothers legally divided the structure into two separate dwellings, each with its own kitchen and living spaces. With rooms from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the Coffin House depicts the impact of an expanding economy and new concepts such as the notion of privacy on architecture and modes of living. The house also retains its 18th century buttery, located off one of the kitchens on the cooler north side.

Owned by: Historic New England
Address: 14 High Road, Newbury
Phone: 978-462-2634
Website: www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/coffin.htm
Hours: June–October 15, first and third Saturday of the month; tours at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm
Admission: Free on June 2, $5 other dates; free to Historic New England members.