Byfield, Massachusetts

Byfield is a village (also referred to as a "parish") in the town of Newbury, in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It borders West Newbury, Georgetown, and Rowley. It is located about 30 miles north-northeast of Boston, along Interstate 95, about 10 miles south of the border between New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Methodist church in central Byfield

Byfield was also the home of Governor William Dummer. The village post office was established January 11, 1826 with Benjamin Colman as the first postmaster.[1]

Gov. William Dummer House in 1905

The village consists of mainly residential homes with a few local businesses. It also contains the Newbury town library and Triton Regional High School, which serves three towns (Salisbury, Rowley and Newbury), as well as the prep school The Governor's Academy (previously known as Governor Dummer Academy after William Dummer, one of the founders of the Newbury area). An arts center and Pearson's deer farm are also located in Byfield.

A festival called "Byfield Days" takes place during the first weekend in June, including the crowning of Miss Byfield and a woodsmen's contest.

Name

Byfield was named after Judge Byfield, who donated the bell to the Byfield Parish Church.

Notable places
  • Elementary school
  • Civil War memorial statue
  • Newbury library, located in Byfield
  • Triton Regional High School

Governor's Academy located on William Dummer's estate.

References
  1. The Post Offices of Massachusetts, Merolla, Lawrence M. and Crowther, Frank M., North Abington, Mass., Massachusetts Postal Research Society, (1981) p 26.

Further reading
  • John Louis Ewell (1904), The story of Byfield: a New England parish, Boston: G.E. Littlefield, OL 16637757M

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