Canterbury: a plain guide to the town
Updated September 22, 2026
Canterbury covers just over 40 square miles with about 5,000 residents, 68 miles of town road and 20 miles of state road. Town hall and the library share one building on Municipal Drive, and both are closed on Fridays. The town green is a National Historic District, and the Prudence Crandall Museum — the 1830s school for Black and Brown girls — is a National Historic Landmark.
Town offices and library
Both are at 1 Municipal Drive. The library keeps longer evenings than the offices do.
- Town Hall: 1 Municipal Drive, Canterbury. Board of Selectmen 860-546-9693. Monday–Wednesday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m., closed Friday. canterburyct.org
- Canterbury Public Library, same building: 860-546-9022. Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–2 p.m., closed Friday and Sunday.
Schools
Canterbury runs an elementary school and a middle school; high schoolers choose from a list of schools the Board of Education approves.
- Central office: 860-546-6950. canterburypublicschools.org
- Canterbury Elementary School: 67 Kitt Road. 860-546-6744.
- Dr. Helen Baldwin Middle School: 45 Westminster Road. 860-546-9421. Pupil services 860-546-1040.
The green and the museum
The town green is a National Historic District taking in more than thirty significant houses built between 1709 and 1747, with a walk of about a mile and a half around it. The Prudence Crandall Museum, run by the state, opens for the season from early May to late October.
- Canterbury Town Green — 1 South Canterbury Road. About a mile-and-a-half loop.
- Prudence Crandall Museum — a state historic site and National Historic Landmark. 2026 season: May 8 to October 26.
Rubbish and recycling
The transfer station is in front of the public works garage on Kinne Road. A sticker is needed; they're issued at town hall.
- Transfer station: 111 Kinne Road. Thursday and Friday 8 a.m.–1:45 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–2:45 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Day.
What we're still confirming
Canterbury doesn't run its own senior centre; senior transport for residents is run through Plainfield's recreation department on 860-564-1819. We couldn't find a town parks page listing named parks and trails, so we've printed only what the town's own site states. If something here is wrong, tell us and we'll fix it the same week.