Rocky Hill Meeting House

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Amesbury, MA
Rocky Hill Meeting House

Rocky Hill Meeting House was strategically placed along the only road that crossed the swift Powow River (via ferry) and led travelers to the Salisbury Point area, and then onward toward Portsmouth. In fact, George Washington paused here to greet the townspeople on his northward journey in 1789. With the beginnings of industrialization and improved access into the region around 1800, a new mill town arose on the banks of the Powow. Geographically trapped between the successful mill town to the west and the coastal fishing and farming communities to the east and south, the West Parish quickly found itself with a congregation that was steadily drifting away. The resulting economic stress, coupled with new ideas about religion and architecture, and the construction of two new churches in the area, led to regular religious services at the meeting house coming to an end by the 1840s. The fact that Rocky Hill Meeting House has served no active congregation since the mid-nineteenth century led to its remarkable state of preservation. Eighteenth-century hardware remains intact throughout the building. The marbleized pulpit and pillars supporting the upper galleries still boast their original paint. Historic New England acquired the property in 1941 to safeguard the fragile building for future generations. 2016 Schedule June 4, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. July 7, 10:00 a.m. - noon July 21, 10:00 a.m. - noon August 4, 10:00 a.m. - noon August 18, 10:00 a.m. - noon September 1, 10:00 a.m. - noon September 15, 10:00 a.m. - noon October 6, 10:00 a.m. - noon October 20, 10:00 a.m. - noon Church services are held in June and November. Music in the Meeting House offered in June and December. Please call for details. Admission $6 adults $5 seniors $3 students Directions: Rocky Hill Meeting House is just off Elm Street next to the Sparhawk School. Parking: Please park along the driveway but do not block traffic.

Operating as usual

03/23/2020

Historic New England's response to coronavirus | Historic New England

NEW CORONAVIRUS UPDATE (6/11/20):
Twelve of our beautiful historic landscapes are officially open. The historic house museums, outbuildings, museum shops, and public restrooms remain temporarily closed. See a full list of open landscapes and more details at https://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-new-england-opens-twelve-landscapes-in-five-states/.
In addition to reopening some of our landscapes, we are scheduling new ticketed events. Many of these events take place outside and will enforce health and safety protocols. Visit https://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/events/ to view our event lineup.
Our priority is the safety and well-being of our staff, visitors, and the communities in which we live and work. For our full statement with more information, including ways to experience history at home, please visit https://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-new-englands-response-to-coronavirus.

The Historic New England museums that are open to the public year round (Gropius House, Eustis Estate, Lyman Estate and Greenhouses, Sarah Orne Jewett House Museum and Visitor Center) will be closed until Friday, April 10, or the next regularly scheduled open date thereafter. Up-to-date information....

10/01/2019

"Napoleon Bonaparte" Jim Mageean & Pat Sheridan

Last week, Rocky Hill Meeting House hosted The Portermen with special guests, internationally renowned traditional musicians Jim Mageean and Pat Sheridan. We had a fantastic evening of sea shanties in this amazing space!
Here's a little peek at the evening!
( thanks to Ron Schmidt for the video! 🙂 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dIgVy2w-TM

Jim Mageean & Pat Sheridan perform at "Maritime Music at the Meeting House". Sponsored by Ipswich Ale, Historic New England and The Portermen.

09/10/2019

Hello friends!
We have a fantastic evening coming up at the Rocky Hill Meeting House !
Please join us on Thursday September 26th for an evening with The Portermen and the legendary Jim Mageean & Pat Sheridan.

Tickets can be found here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4320516?fbclid=IwAR0KApyx33Z1ZUFjnG6k6h9o4mwlhAzomnxcsh4hxjEb785S0arqIXbhHS8

05/01/2019

Days open for the 2019 season at Rocky Hill Meeting House.

Historic New England Open House Day
June 1st - from 11am - 3pm

June - October
First & Third Thursdays 10am - Noon.

Interior Rocky Hill Photo © Sara Willman

10/12/2018

Hello Friends.
As our season starts to wind down, Rocky Hill Meeting house will be open for tours Thursday October 18th from 10am -Noon. This will be the last day to tour until our next season opens in June of 2019. :)

06/01/2018

Rocky Hill Meeting house is open from 11am - 3pm this Saturday June 2nd for Historic New England Open House Day.

Come on by and see who left their mark!

All of the area Historic New England properties are open for free tours on Open House day .... Pack a lunch and join us for the day.

To become a member of Historic New England - and tour properties for free all year : http://shop.historicnewengland.org/Membership-General-Memberships-8/?sort=price&order=

Box pew photo @ Sara Willman Photo

08/31/2017

Rocky Hill Meeting House is open for tours two days in September

Tours are on
Thursday September 7th
and
Thursday September 21st

10am - 12noon.

06/02/2017

Did you know that Rocky Hill Meeting House is covered with graffiti?

One of the continuing mysteries of Rocky Hill Meeting House is whether the signature " General Washington" written on the stairway dates to George Washington's visit to Amesbury in 1789. However it does appear Marion Young did visit Rocky Hill Meeting House in 1897 from Boston! We don't know who she is, but we're happy she came by!

Historic New England Open House Day
Saturday June 3rd

Rocky Hill Meeting House
Open for free tours from 11am- 3pm

( Donations are always welcome)

05/25/2017

Mark your calendars!

Historic New England's Open House Saturday is coming up.

Saturday June 3rd all area properties are open for FREE tours.
( of course donations are always welcome :) )

Pack a lunch and enjoy the day with us!

Hours for local properties :

11am-5pm
Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm
Coffin House

11am- 3pm

Swett-Ilsley House
Dole-Little House
Rocky Hill Meeting House

We can't wait to see you !!!

01/29/2017

Rocky Hill Meeting House is covered with graffiti, some of it from kids passing the time during long sermons, some from adults and later travelers wishing to leave their calling card. Even after nearly 18 years on staff, site manager Bethany Dorau still finds new treasures every time she visits. These are some of the thousands of marks left by visitors to the meeting house over the centuries.

08/11/2016

Image of recent wedding held at Rocky Hill Meeting House. Photo © Matthew Muise Photography

08/11/2016

Rocky Hill Meeting House

Address

4 Old Portsmouth Road
Amesbury, MA
01913

Telephone

(978) 462-2634

Website

http://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-properties/homes/rocky-hill-meeting-house

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Our Story

Rocky Hill Meeting House is one of thirty-seven properties owned by Historic New England, the oldest and largest regional heritage organization in the nation. We save and share historic homes, open space, collections, and stories from the past to today. Learn more at HistoricNewEngland.org

Rocky Hill Meeting House is one of the best preserved examples of an original eighteenth-century meeting house interior. It was built in 1785, replacing a c. 1715 meeting house for the West Parish of Salisbury. Rocky Hill Meeting House was strategically placed along the only road that crossed the swift Powow River (via ferry) and led travelers to the Salisbury Point area, and then onward toward Portsmouth. In fact, George Washington paused here to greet the townspeople on his northward journey in 1789. With the beginnings of industrialization and improved access into the region around 1800, a new mill town arose on the banks of the Powow. Geographically trapped between the successful mill town to the west and the coastal fishing and farming communities to the east and south, the West Parish quickly found itself with a congregation that was steadily drifting away. The resulting economic stress, coupled with new ideas about religion and architecture, and the construction of two new churches in the area, led to regular religious services at the meeting house coming to an end by the 1840s. The fact that Rocky Hill Meeting House has served no active congregation since the mid-nineteenth century led to its remarkable state of preservation. Eighteenth-century hardware remains intact throughout the building. The marbleized pulpit and pillars supporting the upper galleries still boast their original paint. Historic New England acquired the property in 1941 to safeguard the fragile building for future generations.

Saturday, June 6

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

First and third Thursdays

July 1 – October 15

10:00 a.m. – noon Historic New England members tour for free.