St. James Parish Church
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The Anglican parish church of St. James is the oldest in Barbados, built on the first land consecrated by settlers, God's Acre, when the first British arrived near Holetown in 1628. The new colony was originally named James Town, in honor of King James I Stuart. Not surprisingly, the church that was built there was named after the royal patron saint.
Originally built of wood, it was rebuilt in stone in 1682, a large portion of which still stands today. Damaged several times by storms, it seems to have survived the great hurricane of 1831 (at least, it's not mentioned in the list of damaged buildings) and was enlarged in 1874. Note its beautiful organ and the bell placed in front of the church. It is the oldest in Barbados and bears the engraving God Bless King William 1696. Made by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which also created Philadelphia's Liberty Bell and Big Ben, it was damaged when it fell from its tower. After being sent to England for restoration, it returned to Barbados as a historic monument. As for the churchyard, it's a real history book and a mine of genealogical information, since the very first settlers are buried here. The gate that closes the cemetery on the north side is known as Devil's Gate. Legend has it that as soon as the bells ring for mass, the Devil escapes through this gate, which is closed for the duration of the service to prevent him from attending.
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