Clough House at Old North, Boston, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Clough House is a small brick house at 21 Unity Street in Boston's North End, built in the early 18th century by the master mason Ebenezer Clough. It stands right beside the Old North Church and is one of the few houses of its age left in the neighbourhood, a modest survivor from a street that was once lined with homes like it.

The story behind it

Ebenezer Clough was a mason, the sort of skilled tradesman who made up much of colonial Boston. He is known for helping to build Christ Church, better known today as the Old North Church, whose steeple rises just behind the house. His own home was built a few years earlier, and it sat among rows of similar brick houses lived in by craftsmen and their families.

Most of those neighbours disappeared when this part of the North End was cleared. In 1933 the brick promenade now called the Paul Revere Mall was laid out nearby, and the Clough House remained as a rare reminder of what the street once looked like. It tells the story of ordinary working Bostonians rather than famous names.

What to look for

• The plain brick front of the house itself, small and simple next to the grand church, which shows how a successful tradesman lived in colonial Boston.
• The tall white steeple of the Old North Church rising directly behind the house, a reminder of Clough's own trade.
• The Paul Revere Mall alongside, with its long brick promenade, trees and the bronze equestrian statue of Paul Revere at its far end.
• The plaques along the mall, which mark people and moments from the North End's past.

Tips for your visit

• Plan on 10 to 15 minutes for the house and the mall, longer if you also visit the church. Treat the house as a stop to see from the street, and check current opening hours and access with the Old North Church.
• Morning is usually calmer, before the Freedom Trail crowds build up along Hanover Street and Salem Street.
• The Old North Church, the Paul Revere House and the cafes and bakeries of Hanover Street are all within a few minutes on foot.
• The streets here are narrow and the pavements uneven, so wear comfortable shoes.

See it on a quest

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in North End, Boston takes you through the North End on foot, so the Clough House becomes one stop of a longer route. The app tells you about each place as you reach it and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Oz Escape in Boston is a self-guided walk with an Oz theme, played on your phone. You travel between real places, hear about each one when you arrive and work out a puzzle from what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Oz Escape: A Wicked Glitch in Boston is a second Oz-themed walk through the city. There is no guide and no group to join, and you can start whenever suits you. One ticket covers the whole group.