Historic New England's Swett-Ilsley House

Historic New England's Swett-Ilsley House Swett-Ilsley House is open for the season with guided tours available on the first and third Saturdays of the month, June through October.

Visit HistoricNewEngland.org for more information. In 1911, Swett-Ilsley House became the first property acquired by Historic New England, just a year after its founding. The original portion, built in 1670 by Stephen Swett, was one room deep, and later additions more than doubled the size of the house. Over the centuries, the building served as a tavern, chocolate shop, chandlery, and press room,

in part due to its location on Newbury's most traveled road. Swett-Ilsley House had been brought to the attention of Historic New England founder William Sumner Appleton by an acquaintance who believed it to be one of the oldest surviving houses in the region. After the house was acquired for $2,400, nineteenth-century building layers were removed to expose the earliest architectural features. It has one of the largest fireplaces in New England, more than ten feet wide, and containing three beehive ovens. Open
First Saturdays, June 1 – October 15
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Admission
$6 adults
$5 seniors
$3 students
Free for Historic New England members and Newbury residents. Directions: Swett-Ilsley House is on Route 1A just over the Newbury border from Newburyport. Parking: There is no lot, but on-street parking is permitted for short periods of time.

05/30/2026

We will be closed this afternoon due to the storm. Stay safe and see you next week at Open House!

In 1911 Swett-Ilsley House became the first property acquired by Historic New England, just a year after our founding. T...
05/27/2026

In 1911 Swett-Ilsley House became the first property acquired by Historic New England, just a year after our founding. The original portion, built in 1670 by Stephen Swett, was one room deep, and later additions more than doubled the size of the house. Over the centuries the building served as a tavern, chocolate shop, chandlery, and tea room, in part due to its location on Newbury’s most traveled road. The house is being painted right now and will open for tours this Saturday, from 11 AM- 2 PM. Reserve your ticket here:

https://my.historicnewengland.org/28450/28571

We’re opening our doors a little early in Newbury this season! Join us this Saturday from 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. for tours...
05/21/2026

We’re opening our doors a little early in Newbury this season! Join us this Saturday from 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. for tours of the Swett-Ilsley House and get a first look before the other Newbury Historic New England sites open for the year.

Tours are free for Newbury residents and Historic New England members. Reserve your spot today: https://my.historicnewengland.org/28450/28570

We had a lovely afternoon learning about the feminist history of tea houses at the Swett-Illsley House last Saturday. We...
05/20/2026

We had a lovely afternoon learning about the feminist history of tea houses at the Swett-Illsley House last Saturday. We also learned about herbal teas and guests blended their own batch to take home. Thank you to Laura Kozlowski for capturing the event!

laurakozlowski.com

Historic places are shaped not only by their past, but by the people who care for them today.Meet Sheila Spalding, Site ...
05/20/2026

Historic places are shaped not only by their past, but by the people who care for them today.

Meet Sheila Spalding, Site Manager for Historic New England’s Newbury properties, in our Meet Your Site Managers series. This season, look for programs that bring history to life through music, community traditions, and opportunities for reflection.

As we prepare to welcome visitors to for the open season, we invite you to get to know the people who make our tours and events so special.

We’re excited to open for the season and hope you’ll visit, including for our Open House on June 6.
04/22/2026

We’re excited to open for the season and hope you’ll visit, including for our Open House on June 6.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, our historic sites across the region are open and FREE to the public. Join us for a fun day of fantastic storytelling! Love architecture, history, fantastic stories, great landscapes, fine art, folk art, or interior design? Then join Historic New England on June 6, 2026, f...

1872 Map of Newbury from D.G. Beers & Co. Atlas, Salem State University Archives. Can you spy the Swett-Illsley property...
12/30/2025

1872 Map of Newbury from D.G. Beers & Co. Atlas, Salem State University Archives. Can you spy the Swett-Illsley property? How about Coffin House, Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm and Dole-Little House?

Source: https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth-oai:z029pm288 #:~:text=http%3A//digitalcommons.salemstate.edu/maps_essexcounty/9

https://www.historicnewengland.org/hne-magazine-article/previous-incarnations/
10/27/2025

https://www.historicnewengland.org/hne-magazine-article/previous-incarnations/

The Swett-Ilsley House in Newbury, Massachusetts, has a rich history, having served as a tavern, inn, chocolate mill, and more. In the 19th century, it became a home for the Ilsley family and later a tea room and gift shop. The Phillips House in Salem, Massachusetts, operated as a boarding house and...

Cradle to Grave returns ✨ 10/24 + 10/25
09/26/2025

Cradle to Grave returns ✨ 10/24 + 10/25

06/02/2025

Address

4 High Road
Newbury, MA
01951

Opening Hours

11am - 2pm

Telephone

+19784622634

Website

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