ADDERLEY'S PLANTATION RUINS

The plantation, which was initially devoted to cotton cultivation, was established at the end of the 18th century following the allocation of land to Abraham Adderley, an English businessman at the time. In thirty years the property grew from 280 to 1,000 hectares and eventually encompassed the whole of what is known today as "Stella Maris". The name Adderley is now borne by many locals. The majority of the descendants of this family still live in the villages of Burnt ground, Glinton's or Simms and work or worked for the Stella Maris Resort, Club, Marina and Estates which occupies most of this end of the island. The walk through the ruins of the plantation begins at the water's edge before venturing out on a trail where medicinal plants are planted. There is not much left of the property, but the view from the ruins is pleasant and there are tables for picnicking. The pedagogy is mixed with the short hike as signs inform about the properties of each plant encountered. The tamarind tree (Tamarindus Indica) gives an edible fruit that is used to make a refreshing drink, tea or jam; the cashew tree (Leucaena Glauca) treats gas, nerves and heart; the red gum tree (Bursera Simaruba) is an antidote, it treats bee stings and back problems, etc. Nice introduction to bush medicine.