History

Early in the history of the towns of Northfield and Tilton, people lived few and far between. There were not many public buildings. Tilton was previously named Sanbornton Bridge and Northfield was earlier known as the Fields of Canterbury.

In the 18th Century there were no churches as such, and wandering preachers roamed throughout New Hampshire, preaching in schoolhouses, homes, and barns. As the population grew in what was now called Northfield, the citizens decided to build a church at Northfield Center, which today is the intersection of Route 132 and Bean Hill Road.

In 1794 carpenters from Concord were hired to supervise the construction, and people from all  corners of the two towns came for the church raising. They built the edifice in that year with the help of a couple jugs of cider and lots of good food provided by the wives and families of the area.

The Northfield-Tilton Congregational Church, as we call it today, was formed in 1822.