Canterbury is a civil parish in York County, New Brunswick, Canada.
Prior to the 2023 governance reform, for governance purposes it was divided between the villages of Canterbury and Meductic and the local service districts of Benton and the parish of Canterbury, all of which were members of the Western Valley Regional Service Commission (WVRSC).
Origin of name
The parish was named in honour of John Manners-Sutton, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick at the time and later 3rd Viscount Canterbury following the death of his brother. Manners Sutton Parish (originally Manners-Sutton) was erected at the same time.
History
Canterbury was erected in 1855 from Dumfries Parish. An oversight omits Falls Island in the Saint John River, leaving it outside the boundaries of both Canterbury and Dumfries.
In 1879 the rear of Canterbury was erected as North Lake Parish.
In 1957 Fall Island in the Saint John River was stated to belong to Canterbury.
Boundaries
Canterbury Parish is bounded:
on the north by the Carleton County line, running through Eel River, then by the Saint John River; on the east by the eastern line of a grant to Abraham Lint, west of Allandale Road; on the southeast by a line beginning at the southeastern corner of the Lint grant and running southeasterly to the northern end of Palfrey Lake, paralleling the southeastern lines of other parishes south of the Saint John River; on the west and northwest by a line running up Big La Coote Stream to La Coote Lake, then running north-northwesterly across land to Third Eel Lake, then down Eel River, including Second Eel Lake and First Eel Lake, to the Carleton County line.
Communities
Communities at least partly within the parish. bold indicates an incorporated municipality
Benton
Canterbury
Carroll Ridge
Dead Creek
Deer Lake
Dorrington Hill
Dow Settlement
Eel River Lake
Hartin Settlement
Johnson Settlement
Marne
Meductic
Middle Southampton
Ritchie
Scott Siding
Skiff Lake
Temple
Bodies of water
Bodies of water at least partly within the parish.
Eel River
Saint John River
Pokiok Reach
Big La Coote Stream
Little La Coote Stream
Pocowogamis Stream
Shogomoc Stream
Dead Creek
Sullivan Creek
Mactaquac Lake
Palfrey Lake
Skiff Lake
more than twenty other officially named lakes
Islands
Islands at least partly within the parish.
Burnt Island
Carr Island
Club Island
Dibblees Island
Halfway Island
Mill Island
Northcott Island
Wilson Island
Other notable places
Parks, historic sites, and other noteworthy places at least partly within the parish.
Big Falls Protected Natural Area
Dead Creek Protected Natural Area
Eel River Falls
Eel River Protected Natural Area
Estey Wetlands Protected Natural Area
First Eel Lake Protected Natural Area
Maxwell Protected Natural Area
Oak Mountain Protected Natural Area
Pocowogamis Stream Protected Natural Area
Risteen Brook Protected Natural Area
Skiff Lake Protected Natural Area
Demographics
Parish population total does not include the former incorporated village of Canterbury and the portion within the former incorporated village of Meductic. Revised census figures based on the 2023 local governance reforms have not been released.
Population
Population trend
Language
Mother tongue (2016)