 Spanish
Town, St. Catherine Spanish Town, the former capital
founded in 1534, some 14 miles west of Kingston (bus from
Half Way Tree and from Orange Street ), is historically the
most interesting of Jamaica’s towns and in desperate
need of funds for renovation. Its English-style architecture
dates from the 18th century.
Well worth seeing are the Cathedral Church of St James, the
oldest in the anglophone West Indies dating back to 1714.
Also in need of renovation is the fine Georgian main square
which houses the ruins of the King’s House built in 1762
(Governor’s residence until 1872 when Kingston became
the capital) that burnt down in 1925.
The façade has been rebuilt and within it is the Archaeological
Museum, containing exhibits excavated here and a site history
of 1534-1872. In the old stables is the Jamaican People’s
Museum of Craft and Technology.
 Also
on the square are a colonnade (paint peeling off) and statue
commemorating Rodney’s victory at the Battle of the Saints;
the House of Assembly and the Court House. There is a museum
with interesting relics of Jamaican history and accurate portrayal
of life of the country people. The park in the centre is overgrown
with weeds and the gates are padlocked. Outside town, on the
road to Kingston is the White Marl Arawak Museum.
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