Foxfield Unitarian Church
The Unitarian Church, with its towering brick steeple, is hands down the largest, most impressive structure in town. Built in 1846 and completely financed by Aaron Pickering, this massive brick Gothic Revival structure was built after the Foxfield congregation voted to change the original Congregational Church to the modern, far more liberal Unitarian faith. The church seats three hundred parishioners and on Sundays is near filled to capacity.
The church is supported by a trust fund established by Aaron Pickering. It provides for church maintenance, a small salary for the pastor, and living quarters for the pastor’s family in the Pickering Mansion.
Next to the church, on the east side of the building, lies the cemetery. With hundreds of graves, some dating back to the eighteenth century, the grounds are dominated by a large, white marble mausoleum with the name Pickering inscribed over the door. Buried within are Aaron Pickering and his wife Anne, along with Bertrand Pickering and wife Emma.
The front door of the church is always unlocked. If one visits here for the first time — during daylight hours — Pastor Henry Barnes is present. Working in his office, he hears the front door open and rises to meet any visitors with a smile on his face.
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