Spanish Town

Spanish Town Review

About 12 mi (19 km) west of Kingston on A1, Spanish Town was the island's capital when it was ruled by Spain. The original name was Santiago de la Vega, meaning St. James of the Plains. The town, which has been declared a national monument by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, has a number of historic structures, including the Jamaican People's Museum of Crafts and Technology (in the Old King's House stables), and St. James Cathedral, the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. Other historic sites include the Old Barracks Building, built in 1791 to house military personnel. Although in disrepair, its facade of brick and native stone is still imposing. The Phillippo Baptist Church honors a local hero, the Reverend James Mursell Phillippo, a missionary who led the fight for emancipation of Jamaica's slaves. His grave is in the church's graveyard. An historic cast iron bridge dates from 1801 and is said to be the oldest such bridge in the Western Hemisphere.