The Origins of “Evensong”
People often ask me about the origins of “Evensong” as
a name for our shop and so I must tell them this story. A friend of mine who had traveled to England was
describing a practice she knows of that takes place in many of the small villages there. At the end of
the day the villagers come together in the town chapel where those who wish may join together in song. Because
I had waited until after my retirement to fulfill my dream of owning and operating an antique shop, it seemed appropriate
to call this endeavor my evensong.
The
concept behind Evensong Antiques and Enhancements is not only the sale of antiques and other items of interest.
We want to offer local artists the opportunity to show their work in a causal friendly environment. The idea of showing
your artistic creations for the first time in public can be daunting and we applaud all of those who have stepped forward
to do so in the past year and those who have scheduled events yet to come.
The building at 23 North Main Street in the
Historic Village of Shrewsbury is believed to have served as a bank in the late 1800’s. In the basement
of this historic building, an unexcavated area serves as proof of this belief and was used to support the vault.
The vault and its contents have since been removed, but many other interesting features remain. There
is an unusual square window in the back room of the premises and a built-in cupboard tall enough to accommodate the eleven-foot
ceiling throughout. Much of the woodwork is made from bald cypress, as pine in the area had been consumed
in earlier constructions, and is original to the building. Transoms above three of the doorways evoke discussion
among many of the present day patrons because of their unusual hardware. While the back porch has been
enclosed and much of the original flooring replaced, 23 North Main remains an excellent example of the architect of its day.
For many years a double apartment building, it now houses Evensong Antiques and Enhancements downstairs and a private
apartment upstairs.
Being
collectors of antiques it seemed only natural to offer them for sale in our shop. Having owned the building
at 23 North Main Street for the past 18 years, we had only to wait until the space downstairs became available.
That happened for us in April of 2007 and after several months of renovation work we opened Evensong Antiques and Enhancements
in September 2007.
We have found that owing
our shop has afforded us far more than a way to expand our interest in antiques and art. We have made many
new friends and acquaintances in the past year. Walter and I enjoy meeting all of the interesting people who walk through
our door. The other merchants on Main Street are extremely supportive as we work together to revive the
small town-shopping atmosphere in Shrewsbury.
We welcome all to come share in the comraderie prevalent in the shops along Main Street
in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania.
