Historic Sites

Betty’s Hope

This is a sugar plantation site where one of the two sugar mill towers has been fully restored, complete with sails. With a small interpretation center, this heritage landmark is well worth a visit.

Betty’s Hope was one of the earliest plantations, dating to 1651. In 1990 restoration began. Today about 112 sugar mill towers dot the countryside of this independent nation, reminding us of the days of slavery under ‘King Sugar’.

 

Nelson’s Dockyard

This heritage landmark is the only remaining naval dockyard in the world designed to maintain wooden sailing warships of olden times. It was started as early as 1725, though it had been used as a shelter from the mid 17th century. The first recorded ship at English harbour, anchored to survive a hurricane, was a yacht. It was a naval ship chartered to the King for the use of his Governor of the Leeward Islands.

Devil’s Bridge

On the eastern coast, battered by the waves of the Atlantic is Devil’s Bridge. It is a remarkable example of natural sea-water erosion and a popular place for tourists. A bridge was geologically created when a soft part of limestone was eroded by the ocean. The foaming breakers are impressive. In the days of slavery it was said that slaves came here to commit suicide by jumping into the ocean, the devil having got into them!

Fort James

Fort James is a large fort at the entrance to St John’s Harbour. it is the only fort in Antigua where the original ten great guns are still in place. They date to George the III’s reign and survived a scrap iron collection in 1869. Eleven men were required to handle one of these 2.5 ton guns that discharged a shot 1.5 miles distant. There is an inner fort, soon to be restored, where an interesting detached kitchen may be entered.

Clarence House

Clarence House is a Georgian country house built for the Commissioner of the Dockyard in 1806. At present it is not open to the public as it is being refurbished after a recent hurricane, but the view of English Harbour and the Dockyard is superb and makes this site worth a visit. From about 1820 it became known as Clarence House. The house was then being used by the Governor of the Leeward Islands as his country residence.

Admiral’s Birthplace

This small house was built in 1926 and stands in the village of Urlings on the south side of the island. It has survived many hurricanes and is the birth place of Admiral, your host!