Welcome to Lawn Squad® of Newbury, MA

Newbury, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest and most quietly extraordinary towns in New England — a largely rural, sparsely developed Essex County community whose back roads and coastal marshes have changed remarkably little over the past three and a half centuries. Founded in 1635, Newbury is home to two of the finest Historic New England properties anywhere on the North Shore. The Coffin House at 14 High Road is a remarkable survivor — a home that remained in the same family for over 300 years and contains architectural layers from the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s all visible in a single structure, with guided Saturday tours led by extraordinarily knowledgeable guides who bring the unadorned history of colonial life vividly to life. Just steps away at 4 High Road, the Swett-Ilsley House is another Historic New England gem, open Saturday mornings and famous for its enormous original fireplace and chimney, its raw, unadorned interior that reveals exactly how early colonial homes were constructed and expanded generation by generation, and guides who earn some of the most enthusiastic reviews of any house tour in the region. The Museum of Old Newbury, housed in the Cushing House across the river in neighboring Newburyport, rounds out the historical picture with beautifully curated exhibits, popular “Tombstone Tuesday” events, and an annual garden tour that consistently sells out.

Newbury’s outdoor offerings are exceptional and in some ways unmatched anywhere in Essex County. The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island is one of the crown jewels of the entire federal wildlife refuge system on the East Coast — a stunning barrier island landscape of beach, dune, freshwater marsh, and shrubland that provides critical habitat for hundreds of bird species, with boardwalk trails, observation decks, a $5 entry fee, and sunrise and sunset views across the Atlantic that visitors describe as genuinely life-changing. Old Town Hill Reservation off Newman Road, managed by The Trustees, offers one of the most rewarding hikes in the region — a climb through salt marsh and forest to a hilltop summit with sweeping views of the seacoast, accessible enough for young children but rewarding enough for serious hikers, and particularly spectacular in fall. The Mill Pond Recreation Area in neighboring West Newbury provides a complementary experience — a 3-mile loop trail along a beautiful pond through woods and open fields, with picnic tables, excellent birding, and the occasional deer or horseback rider adding to the quiet magic of a weekday morning.

Newbury is a rural town without its own restaurant district, but it sits at the center of one of the finest dining regions in all of Massachusetts, with Newburyport just minutes away. Bar25 NBPT on State Street in Newburyport is one of the most acclaimed restaurants on the entire North Shore — a Persian and Mediterranean small plates destination with exceptional chicken shawarma, lamb kebabs, grape leaves, halloumi, and beets, served in a beautifully designed room with outdoor seating that fills up quickly every weekend. The Cormorant on Merrimac Street is a beloved neighborhood smash burger and brunch spot earning extraordinary loyalty for its Hangover Burger, pork belly smash burger, outstanding milkshakes, and the kind of warm, first-name-basis counter culture that makes every visit feel like a homecoming. And Loretta on Pleasant Street in Newburyport is a beloved all-day restaurant with hand-cut cornmeal sweet potato fries, excellent mussels, swordfish piccata specials, lobster scampi with homemade pasta, and a sidewalk patio perfect for people-watching during the town’s many festivals. Newbury itself is a place of tremendous beauty and historical depth — quiet, unhurried, and deeply worth knowing.