St. James Parish, the Oldest Church in Barbados

On our cruise stop visit to Barbados, my friend Dave negotiated a great deal with the taxi driver and guide, to take us through the west side of the island.  Gene, our chauffeur, suggested a stop at St. James Parish Church, the oldest church on the island.    Upon arrival, the pastor happened to be outside and welcomed us to his parish.  Handing us a brochure, the booklet outlined a tour of the highlights of the church.

Entering at the west end, close to the parking area, we passed the first set of pews and found ourselves standing at the cross-aisle.   To our left and right were the north and south exits of the building, while straight ahead, was the nave and the altar.  The thick pillars on each side of the room were made from coral.

Looking back towards the entrance, we noticed the mahogany pipe organ above.  Beautifully carved, we learned it was approximately 130 years old.  More mahogany features stood between the nave and the altar to include the screen, paneling, choir stalls, roof beams, the altar and pulpit.

The “Modern Stained Glass Window” represents the Ascension of Christ and stands a memorial to those soldiers who lost their lives in World War I.

The stained glass window at the south entrance tells the story of the baptism of the Ethiopian Eunich.

At the north entrance of the church is the original bell dating back to 1696.

In 1887, the original burial ground was closed and a modern cemetery was opened nearby.  The tombstone of John Gibbs dates back to 1700.

St. James Parish Church is an Anglican/Episcopal Church located on the island’s first settlement of Holetown in St James Parish.  It is an active congregation that oversees a number of local outreach programs.   The church is located in Holetown, St. James, Barbados.  For more information, visit their website at http://stjames.truepath.com/index.htm.

Please note that there is no admission fee to visit the church, but donations are greatly appreciated.

What to See and What to Do:

St. James Parish Church
Church Road
Holetown, Barbados
Telephone:  246 422 4117

Where to Stay:

Hilton Barbados Resort
Needhams Point, St. Michael
Bridgetown, Barbados, BB11000
Telephone:  +246 426 0200

Where to Eat: 

Waterfront Cafe
The Careennage
Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies
Telephone: 246 427 0093

Order the local beer and a flying-fish sandwich!

What to Eat: 

• Flying Fish – the national dish of Barbados
• Fish Cakes – salted cod or whitefish
• Pepperpot – meat with Bajan spices and hot peppers
• JugJug – guinea corn flour, pigeon peas, salted beef brisket, ham or other salted meats, pork or chicken, onions, and other herbs and spices
• Pudding and Souse – steamed sweet potatoes made with onions, salt and pepper and souse is a picked pork dish
• Roti – island burrito

What to Read:

• Washington Black, by Esi Edugyan
• A Caribbean Mystery, by Agatha Christie
• Captain Blood, by Rafael Sabatini

Photo Guide for Barbados:

• The Animal Flower Cave
• Cherry Tree Hill
• Silver Sands Beach
• Almond Beach Resort
• Speightstown
• Rihanna Drive, Bridgetown

Are you interested in visiting churches or other places of worship when you travel?  If yes, I would be interested in hearing about some of the locations you visited in the comments below.  Happy Travels!

At the south entrance is the original baptismal font dating back to 1684.

An Ethiopian “Hunger Veil”