The National Parks of Antigua covers only about 12 square miles from Mamora Bay to Carlisle Bay, but in them lie a great deal of Antigua's history and some of its most beautiful coastline. The area is a good example of restoration and preservation; it is also easily accessible, both mentally or on your own two feet. To gain entrance to the main highlights of the National Park is only US$5.00 per person. For this fee you get access to Dow's Hill Historical Centre with its multi-media show to put you in the picture on Antigua's culture, heritage, history and nature plus a guided tour of Nelson's Dockyard and museum. It helps greatly in understanding the historical significance of the entire area of English Harbour.

English Harbour was chosen back in the 18th Century as the centre for naval operations for the British in the Caribbean due to its landlocked basins - easy to defend and well protected against tropical storms and hurricanes. As a result a considerable military complex was built here including powder magazines, soldiers' quarters, extensive fortifications, naval supplies and maintenance facilities and a Georgian Dockyard - the only one of its kind still working today.

English Harbour continues to appeal to sailors for the same reasons it appealed to the British Navy. As a result, you will see many yachts of various shapes and sizes happily moored up in the area. In Nelson's Dockyard many of the exquisitely restored buildings offer marine supplies and simply reinforce the entire area's seafaring atmosphere.

One of the focal points of Nelson's Dockyard is the Dockyard Museum. This restored building used to be the Naval Officer's House and now holds a museum designed to be both informative AND entertaining! The inside walls have been stripped to reveal the original beams of the building built back in 1855 and the decor is light and unpretentious. Chronologically ordered exhibits and artifacts (such as ancient tools and period navigation instruments) illustrate the history of English Harbour from the time of the Arawak Indian settlers up to the present day. There is plenty of fascinating information on the buildings in the area, old wooden ship maintenance procedures (such as 'careening') and information on the lives of the people who lived and worked there.

One edifice that never fails to attract questions is the mighty columns of the sail loft pillars. Built by 70 black and three white masons over 200 years ago, the pillars took 15 months to complete. They are big, impressive and always leave you wondering quite how the sails and the loft fitted in to the picture.

Nelson's Dockyard is like a walk back in time, but modern amenities such as restaurants, bars, cafés and the luxurious Georgian style Copper & Lumber Store Hotel add dimension to the place and allow you to spend much of the day there without getting tired, hungry or bored.

Further afield along an easy nature trail lies Fort Berkeley, initially set up in 1704 on a short spit of land to protect English Harbour as the area's first line of defence. From here you have a great view of interesting nearby historical sites and natural features. Easily visible is Clarence House built in around 1787 by English stonemasons for Prince William Henry in order that he escape the hustle and bustle of the Dockyard. You will also be able to see the Pillars of Hercules right at the base of the hill on which Shirley Heights Lookout stands. This curious geological feature gives the impression that the hill rests on an assortment of sandstone pillars. Shirley Heights Lookout was basically a signal station to give advanced warning of attack but now has a restaurant (in what was the Ordnance building) and is also famed for its 6 hour long entertainment schedule on Sundays with live music, dancing and a hearty barbeque. The view is great and you can easily see the island of Montserrat to the south west and, on a good day, Guadeloupe to the south. Getting up to Shirley Heights requires a short car ride and all across the high ground the ruins of powder magazines, barracks, cisterns and arched walkways, the Officers' quarters, the Parade Ground and Military Cemetery attest to the considerable military presence here. Of particular note in the Cemetery is the obelisk erected in the memory of the soldiers of the 54th Regiment, West Norfolk who died here whilst stationed 1840-1851.

Close to the Pillars of Hercules is the Charlotte Peninsula on which the ruins of the Carpenter family settlement can be seen. It dates back to around 1750 and this area of this peninsula is being preserved under the supervision of the Friends of English Harbour. In fact, the same basic principles are being applied to the entire National Park. Both the delicate environment and the buildings and ruins are being treated so that their appeal is not tarnished or destroyed by indiscriminate development.

The National Parks of Antigua & Barbuda, and in particular Nelson's Dockyard, are one of the best examples of restoration, preservation and sensitive development of all the historical areas in the Caribbean and has given a new lease of life to an area that had been increasingly neglected in this Century, despite its significance to the region's history in the last 300 years.