St. John's Cathedral

Two structures have preceded the present one on this site - the first was a rather unimpressive (and uncomfortable, by all accounts) wooden structure erected in 1681. The second was constructed from bricks imported from England in about 1720.

After over a century, the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral when the Diocese of Antigua was created in August 1842.

A earthquake severely damaged it in February 1843, forcing them to build a third, which was completed almost to the day 3 years later on October 10th, 1846. The interior is encased in pitch pine, intended to secure the building from collapse during an earthquake or a hurricane. 
 
Originally the south gate was the main entrance to the Cathedral. Atop its pillars are the bronze figures of St. John the Divine and St. John the Baptist. H.M.S. Temple is said to have taken these figures from a French ship destined for Martinique in 1756 during the Seven Years War. The iron gates themselves date from 1789.

The Cathedral was known as 'Big Church' by the planter class, and it was they who frequented it until about World War I, when the congregation saw increasingly more black members. Previously seen as a symbol of the planter class' domination in Antiguan society, more recently the names of black Antiguans adorn the Cathedral walls.

Nelson's Dockyard

Named after the victor of the pivotal Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson, the dockyard remained a focal point for the British naval presence in the Leeward islands for some time. Many famous  British naval officers have spent time here including Rodney, Nelson, Collingwood, Prince William Henry, Hood, and Cochrane. Nelson was here betwen 1784 and 1787.

The dockyard served to service the ships and the many black slaves who worked here built and maintained many of the structures including the sail loft (whose pillars can be seen on the left), the wharves and the ships that entered the dockyard for careening (exposing the hulls so that they could be cleaned of barnacles) and to effect general repairs.

Today private yachts replace the naval vessels, but many of the preserved structures attest to the areas naval past and are complemented by shops, stores, restaurants banks and other visitor facilities. The dockyard remains a favourite port for those making the long Atlantic crossing!

English Harbour

To ensure the safety of the lucrative sugar industry in the 17th and 18th Century in the Caribbean, the English established their strategic naval base at English Harbour (shown left) in Antigua. Admiral Horatio Nelson spent a good deal of time here but, by all accounts, had a torrid time due to an inadequate mosquito net.

Soldiers had 3 main challenges at English Harbour - illness, rum and lots of women. As a result of these three debilitating features English Harbour became known as "The Grave of Englishmen". Today things are far less potentially volatile and hazardous. The extensive naval facilities and fortifications built to accommodate the garrisons established there are still visible today and have been beautifully restored at Nelson's Dockyard National Park, Shirley Heights Lookout and at Monk's Hill. All of the restored sites are worth a visit, as they give you a feel of just how much activity went on here in the late 18th Century.