By Paul Przybyla
Farandnear, the beloved 87-acre nature preserve on Center Road in the middle of Shirley, bears an unusual but charming name. The common explanation is that being 50 miles from the original owner’s family home in Wollaston, it was “far” enough away to require a two day’s journey by horse yet “near” enough to be a seasonal home. It is also possible that it may have been inspired by a famous New York lawn tennis club with a similar name.
Charles Goodspeed was a Boston dealer in antiquarian books and an enthusiastic player of lawn tennis who wanted a summer place in the country, In 1902 he purchased his first three acres on Center Road, named it Farandnear, and built his summer cottage. It later became his primary residence and afterwards the home of his daughter Miriam and son-in-law Gordon Banks and finally his grandson Arthur Banks.
Over the years the family added the cranberry bogs and the Paradise hemlock ravine to their property. The fence posts of the old tennis court are still visible, now surrounded by beautiful perennial gardens. Today the estate is a Trustees of Reservations property with the original residence replaced by a covered multi-use pavilion.
Shirley natives best remember Farandnear for the golf course that Gordon Banks created and generously invited the public to use. Many a Shirley teenager learned to play golf there in return for helping maintain the greens. Arthur Banks was not a golfer and replaced the golf greens with evergreen plantings to create his extensive conifer collection.
Although golf eclipsed lawn tennis as the years went by, the name Farandnear may claim tennis as its provenance. Among the antiquarian books that Arthur Banks bequeathed to Hazen Library was his grandfather’s 1886 edition of Rules of the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association. Listed in that edition was the association’s president Thomas K. Fraser, of the Far and Near Lawn Tennis Club, Hastings-on Hudson, NY. One can only guess whether Charles Goodspeed fondly remembered that club name when he came to have a lawn tennis court of his own in Shirley.
Today visitors can enjoy Farandnear from sunrise to sunset at no charge. Ample parking and seasonal bathrooms are provided. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leash at all times. The formal landscaped area with its perennial gardens and conifer collection provides a perfect opportunity for a leisurely stroll or picnic on the manicured lawn, while the extensive trail system provides access to natural surroundings and a variety of different habitat types. If you’re a Shirley resident (or not!) be sure to spend an afternoon exploring this local treasure while reliving a small part of Shirley’s history.
Paul Przybyla moved to Shirley in 1991. His love for local history is satisfied through volunteer work for the Shirley Historical Society and Shirley Meeting House and maintaining his 1761 colonial. Paul is also an Associate Trustee of the Trustees of Reservations.