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Small, run-down and utterly charming, SPEIGHTSTOWN
(pronounced "Spikestown") is the second town of Barbados, though it
remains largely untouched by tourist development. It was once a
thriving port, famous for its tough-talking, uncompromising
inhabitants - "Speightstown flattery" is an old Bajan term
for a back-handed compliment.
Over the last century, however, the place has declined
precipitately, and there is little to do today but stroll around and
soak up the remnants of the local fishing industry, a few stylish
old buildings and a handful of excellent restaurants that cater for
day visitors and the guests of nearby hotels.
Buses
running up the west coast normally terminate at Speightstown,
stopping at the eastern end of Church Street - from here, head down
towards the sea, passing the parish church on your right. Queen
Street has an unofficial tourist information office in the
Fisherman's Pub .
The Town
A mark of Speightstown's former importance is that three major forts
were erected to protect it, with several additional gun emplacements
scattered along the coast to add to the barrage of any enemy ships
(though the only invasion was by the British in 1651). Little
remains of the military hardware, but some of the old iron cannons
from Fort Orange point out to sea from the Esplanade , to the
north of town.
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Across from the Esplanade, St Peter's Parish Church , on
Church Street, was first built in the 1630s, making it one of the
oldest churches in Barbados. Destroyed by the 1831 hurricane, the
Georgian building was rebuilt in a graceful Greek Revival style -
though with the standard tower tacked on for good measure - and the
present incarnation is the result of superb restoration after the
place was gutted by fire in 1980.
Back on the main road, head south across the bridge and past the
fish market, always humming with vendors in the early morning.
Queen Street is the main drag and has several grand old
buildings that have survived the town's decline. Opposite Mango
's restaurant, Arlington , almost medieval in design, is a
classic example of the island's early townhouses - narrow, tall and
gabled, with a sharply sloping roof. While you're here, cross the
road and check out the art gallery of the self-styled Gang of
Four - of interest for the local paintings of Gordon Webster, Sarah
Venables and Azziza, and the sculpture of Ras Bongo Congo.
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Caribbean guide
Barbados Travel Guide
Eating and Drinking
Plenty of top-notch restaurants line the "platinum coast",
some as good as anything you'll find anywhere in the Caribbean,
though prices tend to be high. You'll have to look a bit harder to
find interesting low-priced options, but they do exist, and several
- including the Fisherman's Pub in Speightstown and the
Garden Bar at Angler Apartments - are worth checking out,
whatever your budget.
Barbados
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Best of Barbados
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Explore Barbados
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Bridgetown
Eating, nightlife
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Central Bridgetown
National Heroes Square
Old City
Central
Barbados
Explore Central Barbados
Flower Forest
Francia
Gun Hill
Harrison's Cave
Welchman Hall
Gully
East Coast
South Coast
Getting there and around
Eating and nightlife
South East
South Coast
Christ Church
Explore Christ Church
Hasting and Rockley
Oistins
Silver Sands and Long Beach
St. Lawrence Gap and Dover
Worthing
St. Philip:
St.
Philip
Foul Bay & Crane Beach
West Coast
West
HoleTown
-HoleTown
restaurants
Mullins Bay - N
Prospect
, Payness Bay- N
Sandy Lane
Speightstown
Nightlife |
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