Historic plantation houses in Barbados tell the story of the island’s sugar-rich past. These old buildings, some from the 1600s, show how plantation owners lived and worked. They also remind us of the tough times slaves went through.
Visiting these houses gives you a real look at Barbados’ history. You can see fancy furniture, old tools, and beautiful gardens. Some houses even make rum or offer tours. This article will tell you all about the best plantation houses to visit and what makes each one special.
Why Are Barbados Plantation Houses Worth Visiting?
Back in 1625, when the British first came to Barbados, they started building big houses on large farms called plantations. These weren’t just regular homes.
Plantations in Barbados were like the headquarters for huge farms where they grew crops like tobacco, cotton, and sugar to sell to other countries. The plantation houses in Barbados became the center of island life, where important business deals were made, and fancy parties were held.
How Many Plantation Houses Were in Old Barbados?
In the 1700s, Barbados was packed with plantations. Can you believe there were about 700 of these big farms on this tiny island? And Barbados is only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide!
Most of the plantation owners came from England, and they built houses that looked like the ones they had back home. They wanted to feel like they were still in England, even though they were on a tropical island thousands of miles away.
How Old Sugar Farms Became Tourist Spots
At first, the historic plantation houses in Barbados were all about making money from sugar. The owners got super rich from growing and selling this sweet stuff.
| Time Period | Main Use | Economic Focus | Visitor Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1600s-1800s | Sugar Production | Agriculture | Not open to public |
| Early 1900s | Declining Sugar Industry | Mixed Agriculture | Limited access |
| Mid 1900s | Transition Period | Tourism Begins | Some houses open for tours |
| Late 1900s-Present | Tourism and Heritage | Tourism | Open for tours, events, accommodations |
But things are different now, especially today in 2024. These days, people come to Barbados for holidays, not to buy sugar. The plantation houses have had to change with the times.
Why You Should Visit Barbados Plantation Houses Today
Many visitors only see bits of this history when they’re driving from the airport to their hotels. They might pass by some old sugar cane fields, but that’s usually all they see. There’s so much more to discover about these historic plantation houses in Barbados!
Sadly, a lot of these old houses are gone now. Some were torn down, and others, like Farley Hill House in St. Peter, were wrecked by fire. But don’t worry, there are still some amazing plantation houses in Barbados that you can visit to get a real taste of the island’s history.
Must-Visit Historic Great Houses in Barbados
If you want to see how plantation owners used to live, there are two fantastic destinations you should definitely check out. These houses have been fixed up to look just like they did a long time ago, and anyone can visit them. Let’s take a closer look at these amazing historic great houses in Barbados.
| Feature | Sunbury Plantation House | St. Nicholas Abbey |
|---|---|---|
| Built | 1660-1670 | 1650s |
| Location | St. Philip (Southeast) | St. Peter (North) |
| Style | Colonial | Jacobean |
| Main Attractions | Antique furniture, horse-drawn carriages, 280-year-old dining table | Steam mill, rum distillery, heritage railway |
| Dining Options | Courtyard restaurant with traditional Bajan food | Rum tasting |
| Event Spaces | Available for weddings and parties | Available for events |
| Unique Features | Only 17th-century plantation house open to public | One of three genuine Jacobean mansions in Western Hemisphere |
1. Sunbury Plantation House: 17th Century Living Museum
Sunbury Plantation House is one of the coolest historic plantation houses in Barbados. You can find it in the southeast part of the island, in a place called St. Philip.
Sunbury Plantation House is really old – it was built sometime between 1660 and 1670. That makes it the only plantation house from the 1600s that you can actually go inside and look around!
When you visit Sunbury Plantation House, you’ll notice the house is full of old furniture and decorations, including lots of things made from mahogany wood. They even have a collection of old horse-drawn carriages, which is pretty neat to see. There’s also a 280-year-old dining table that’s set up like it would be for a fancy royal dinner.
If you get hungry after all that exploring, Sunbury Plantation House has a courtyard restaurant where you can eat lunch or have a nice cup of tea. They serve traditional Bajan food, which is what people in Barbados call their local dishes.
And if you’re planning a big event, like a wedding or a party, you can even rent out the whole place. They have beautiful grounds with old mahogany trees, plenty of parking, and lots of space in the courtyards for people to hang out.
2. St. Nicholas Abbey: Jacobean Mansion with Rum Distillery
St. Nicholas Abbey is another one of the must-see historic plantation houses in Barbados. It’s in the northern part of the island, in St. Peter. Even though it’s called an abbey, it was never actually a church. It’s just a fancy name for a really impressive house.
St. Nicholas Abbey was built in the 1650s, and it’s one of only three houses in the whole Western Hemisphere that were built in the Jacobean style. That’s a type of architecture that was popular in England in the early 1600s.
The house has some features that look a bit silly in a hot place like Barbados, like fireplaces! But it also has thick walls and heavy shutters to protect it from hurricanes.
The history of St. Nicholas Abbey is like something out of a TV drama. The original owner, Colonel Berringer, had a neighbor called Mr. Yeamans.
Things got messy when Mr. Yeamans fell in love with Colonel Berringer’s wife. It all ended in a deadly fight, with Colonel Berringer losing his life and Mr. Yeamans walking away with both the Colonel’s wife and the Abbey!
But there’s more to St. Nicholas Abbey than just dramatic stories. When you visit, you can see a working steam mill and rum distillery. They make their own rum right there on the property.
You can also take a ride on their heritage railway, which opened in 2019. The train takes you on a nice trip around the grounds, past a lake, through the fields, and ends up at Cherry Tree Hill, where you get an amazing view of the east coast.
Other Notable Plantation Houses in Barbados
While Sunbury Plantation House and St. Nicholas Abbey are the big stars, there are other historic plantation houses in Barbados that are worth knowing about. Let’s take a tour of some of these amazing places.
| Plantation House | Year Built | Unique Feature | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drax Hall | 1650s | Still a working plantation | Private, visible from road |
| Moore Hill House | Unknown | Made from coral rubble | Part of St. Nicholas Abbey property |
| Sam Lord’s Castle | 1820 | Associated with pirate legends | Being rebuilt as a resort |
| Harrismith | 1849 | Clifftop ruins with ocean view | Open ruins, popular for photography |
3. Drax Hall: Still-Working Sugar Plantation
Drax Hall is a bit different from the other historic plantation houses in Barbados because it’s still a working farm. It was once the home of Richard Ligon, who lived on the island from 1647 to 1650.
Ligon wrote a book called “A True and Exact History of the Island of Barbados.” In this book, he talked about some pretty interesting things, like camels being used to carry stuff around the island!
Drax Hall has been in the same family for hundreds of years. Today, it’s still growing sugar cane and other crops.
While you can’t go inside the house, you can see it from the road. It’s a great example of how some plantation houses in Barbados are still being used for farming, just like they were hundreds of years ago.
4. Moore Hill House: Rare Coral Stone Building
Moore Hill House is a special little place. It’s part of the St. Nicholas Abbey property, but it’s unique because it’s one of the few remaining coral rubble houses in Barbados.
These historic houses in Barbados were built using chunks of coral mixed with other materials. It’s considered a national treasure because there aren’t many of these left.
The Moore Hill House is small compared to the big plantation houses, but it’s just as important. It shows us how ordinary people lived in Barbados a long time ago. The house is made from coral that was probably collected from nearby beaches.
5. Sam Lord’s Castle: Former Pirate’s Home Turned Resort
Sam Lord’s Castle has a pretty wild history. It was built in 1820 by Samuel Hall Lord, who was both a plantation owner and, according to stories, a pirate!
People say he used to hang lanterns in the coconut trees around his property to trick ship captains. They’d think it was the port in Bridgetown and crash on the rocks, and then Sam Lord would steal all their stuff!
The castle of Sam Lord was later turned into a fancy hotel, but sadly it burned down in 2010. The good news is that they’re rebuilding it, so future visitors might get to see this piece of Barbados’ pirate history brought back to life.
The new Sam Lord’s Castle is planned to be a big resort, but they’re trying to keep a lot of the old look and feel of the original building.
6. Harrismith: Scenic Clifftop Ruins
Harrismith Plantation house sits on top of a cliff in St. Philip, looking out over Harrismith beach and the Atlantic Ocean. It was built in 1849 and named after British Governor Sir Harry Smith. Today, it’s mostly fallen down, but that doesn’t stop it from being a popular spot for people who like to take photos.
Even though Harrismith is in ruins, it’s still a beautiful place to visit. The old walls and arches make great backgrounds for pictures. And the view from the cliff is amazing – you can see for miles across the blue Caribbean Sea. Some people even say Harrismith is haunted, which adds a spooky twist to its history!
The Dark History of Plantation Houses in Barbados
When we talk about these beautiful old houses, we can’t ignore the sad parts of their history. These plantations were built using slave labor, and the owners got rich from the hard work of enslaved people.
Dr. Karl Watson, a history expert from the University of the West Indies, says that the great houses are “bittersweet.” They’re beautiful to look at, but they also remind us of slavery.
But there’s another way to look at it, too.
The great houses were built by skilled African slaves or their descendants. So, in a way, these buildings also show off the amazing skills of the people who were forced to work there. To learn more about this part of Barbados’ history, you can visit some newer museums on the island.
One of these is in George Washington House, near Bridgetown. The future U.S. president stayed there in 1751-52, and now it’s a museum. On the first floor, you can see things like neck and leg shackles that show how tough life was for enslaved people.
Why Preserving Barbados’ Plantation Houses Matters
Keeping these old houses in good shape isn’t easy or cheap. But Kevin Farmer, who works at the Barbados Museum in Bridgetown, says that tourists can help.
When people visit these houses, it creates jobs and helps keep old skills alive. There are lots of people who want to learn about the island’s culture, and visiting old historic places is becoming more and more popular.
By visiting these historic plantation houses in Barbados, you’re not just having a fun day out. You’re also helping to keep an important part of Barbados’ history safe for future generations to learn from and enjoy.
Your ticket money goes towards fixing up the houses and paying the people who work there. And when you buy souvenirs or have lunch at the plantation houses, you’re supporting local businesses, too.
Tips for Visiting Barbados Plantation Houses
Now, if you’re thinking about visiting some of these amazing historic plantation houses in Barbados, here are a few tips to help you plan:
- When to Go: Barbados has nice weather all year round, but the best time to visit is from December to April. It’s drier and less humid then. But this is also when lots of tourists come, so things might cost more.
- Getting Around: Renting a car is a good way to see the plantation houses, as they’re spread out across the island. But if you’re not comfortable driving on the left side of the road, you can also take taxis or join organized tours.
- Tours with Guides: Many plantation houses offer tours with guides. These are great for learning more about the history and stories of each place. The guides often know many interesting facts and stories you won’t find in guidebooks.
- Taking Pictures: Most places let you take photos, but some might have rules about it. Always check before taking pictures inside the houses. And be respectful – remember that some of these places are also people’s homes.
- Getting Around: Some of these old buildings might be hard for people who have trouble walking. It’s a good idea to check ahead if you’re worried about this. Some places have made changes to help people with mobility issues, but others might still be tricky to get around.
Keep in mind that each plantation house has its own opening hours and prices to get in. It’s always best to check their websites or call ahead to make sure they’re open when you want to visit.
If you’re planning to visit these plantation houses but worried about costs, don’t miss our guide on top tips for traveling Barbados on a budget. It’s full of useful advice to help you make the most of your trip without breaking the bank.
Wrapping It Up
When you visit these old plantation houses in Barbados, you’re doing more than just looking at big, fancy buildings. You’re helping keep the island’s history alive. Each house has its own story that shows how Barbados got to be the way it is now.
So, when you’re planning your trip, make sure to add a few of these places to your list. You’ll learn a lot, and you might even have more fun than you think!
After exploring the plantation houses, why not head to the capital? Our article on things to do in Bridgetown, Barbados offers plenty of ideas for continuing your historical journey and experiencing the island’s vibrant culture.
