|
|
Over the brow of Cherry Tree Hill, a signposted right turn takes you
to the Great House of St Nicholas Abbey (Mon-Fri 10am-3.30pm;
B$10) - the oldest house on Barbados. Built during the 1650s, the
white-painted structure was originally owned by two of the largest
sugar-growers in the north of the island. How the place came to be
called an abbey is unclear. So too is the reason for the fireplaces
- completely unnecessary in view of the island's tropical weather -
in the upstairs bedrooms. Presumably they are the result of the
builders slavishly following the drawings of a British architect,
regardless of the Caribbean climate.
Your entrance fee gets you a rather lackluster guided tour of the
ground floor of the house (the upstairs is still used, and closed to
visitors), crammed with eighteenth-century furniture, Wedgwood
porcelain and other traditional accoutrements of the old Barbadian
aristocracy. The outbuildings at the back of the house are rather
more rustic, and include the original bathhouse and a four-seat
toilet.
|
While the tour of the house may be a little unexciting, there is an
evocative twenty-minute black and white film that is shown on
request. Made in 1934 by a previous owner of the abbey, it shows the
family making a visit by sea from England to their West Indian home.
There is some great footage of the boats arriving at Bridgetown
harbor and of the pre-war city, followed by loving shots of the
sugar plantation in action. After the film you can take a short
stroll through the woods behind the house or grab a drink in the
small café.
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
|
Caribbean guide
Barbados Travel Guide
Barbados
Where to go
When to go
Getting there
Money and costs
Getting around
Food and drink
Phones, post
Brief history
Best of Barbados
Information, maps
Festivals, holidays
Sports, outdoor activities
Tours
Explore Barbados
-
Bridgetown
Eating, nightlife
Listings
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 |
|
