St. George's Parish is my
favorite place in all of Bermuda. It is a romantic storybook town,
with narrow alleys winding past historic buildings, and charming houses with
gardens and whitewashed fences. Not only does it have great shops,
galleries, museums and many great pubs and restaurants, you can see it all
in a day on your own walking tour. It is truly a historic little town. Many
old stone buildings still stand today, built from Bermuda stone after 1619
for protection against elements and fires. Cobblestones were imported from
Wales (as none were available from local materials in Bermuda) and later
decorative lights and tree planters were added.
When arriving by cruise ship, you will be berthed at
either Penno's Wharf or Ordnance Island
Sightseeing "On Your Own" - Walking
Tour of the town of St. George
1. World Heritage
Centre
-
Next to the Penno's Wharf Cruise
Ship Terminal, housed in an 1860
customs warehouse, a
multimillion-dollar visitors'
project was unveiled in 2006.
In the summer of 2008, an
on-site theater opened where
tourists can view an
introductory film (A Stroll
through St. George's) and
visit the ground-floor
Orientation Exhibits Gallery,
which showcases several hundred
years of civic history. Even the
youngest guests will enjoy this
gallery with its engaging
models, ranging from a
miniaturized version of St.
George's (circa 1620) to a
full-scale mock-up of the deck
of the Sea Venture.
There is also a costume corner
where kids can dress up in
period outfits. Developed under
the auspices of the St. George's
Foundation, the World Heritage
Centre is set to include further
exhibition space, a library, and
retail outlets when completed.
Cost: Free Open: Tuesday -
Saturday, 10-4
2. Ordnance Island
Penno's Wharf (background) Ordnance Island (foreground)
Admiral Sir George Somers' life-sized statue was
created by local sculptor Desmond Fountain
Ordnance Island, located in St. George's harbor, was once used as storage
space for the British army. The little island covers just 1.75 acres
and was created by reclaiming the land of several small islands which were
once situated here. It's now permanently connected to St. George's
Island by a bridge so artfully designed that it doesn't seem to be a bridge
at all and is now the site of Deliverance II, one of
the island's most popular attractions.
For a small
fee you can go below deck on the life-sized replica of Deliverance II and
see and hear the resident mannequins depict their miserable cramped life in
the ship. The original ship was built in 1610 by Somers and other survivors
of the shipwreck, and was intended to carry him off Bermuda and on to
Jamestown. (Considering her size --just 57 feet from bow to
stern--Deliverance II hardly seems ocean-worthy by modern standards.
Opposite the replica ship in the park is a
life-sized statue in honor of Admiral George Somers; the original
shipwrecked captain who is considered the discoverer of Bermuda.
3. King's Square.
Both cruise piers are within walking distance of
King's Square which is the heart of town with its shops and historic
buildings.
(Pick up a
self-guided walking tour map at the tourist office in King's Square.)
If you're there on a Wednesday or Saturday, you can see the town crier at
noon as he rings his bell and booms out the news of the town.
Or join in a ship's excursion that features a
candlelight walk with the former town crier. Also in King's Square is
the "ducking stool" and stock and pillory where tourists pose in replicas
where early troublemakers were subjected to public humiliation. King's
Square also hosts St. George's Market Nights, a weekly street festival with
craft vendors, Gombey dancers, and more reenactments from 6:30 to 9:30 on
Tuesday nights, May through September.
Cruise ship passengers arriving at Ordnance Pier
King's Square with Ducking Stool and cannons
St. George's Town Hall in King's Square
Deliverance II ship replica on Ordnance Island
The Town Hall, in the center of the square, is where
the Corporation of St. George formed in 1797, and still meets to oversee the
town's business. Inside are chairs for five common councilors, three
aldermen and the Mayor. The room is adorned with the portraits of past
mayors.
Stockade and pillory in the
town's square
The crowd watches the Town Crier admonishing a petty
offender. What will her punishment be?
The "ducking stool!" The ducking stool was once
used to dunk nagging wives, gossips, and suspected witches. Or those
who missed Sunday church services or stole a chicken. They are dunked
over and over again! (A medieval form of waterboarding torture?)
White Horse Tavern in King's Square, one of the oldest on the island and
legendary among blue-water sailors, is the first bar that most of them visit
upon making landfall.
It was once the
home of John Davenport, who came to Bermuda in 1815 to open a dry goods
store. Davenport was a bit of a miser; upon his death, some £75,000
($148,571) in gold and silver was discovered stashed away in his cellar.
Several additions were added later bringing it up to the water's edge.
The White Horse is
situated on the waterfront across from Ordnance Island where the
cruise ship docks.
With
your self-guided walking tour map, set off on your own
exploring the picturesque lanes, some only a few footsteps in length, but
all well worth investigating. Strolling the compact little town with
its maze of alleys and byways brings endless surprises: a tiny shop here, a
museum there, quaint signs or markers, architectural hodgepodge and
sometimes even a local person dressed in 18th-century garb just for the fun
of it.
Almost every pastel cottage in St. George's merits picture postcard status.
As you meander down the quaint cobblestone streets with names such as;
"Needle and Thread Alley," "Petticoat Lane" or "Featherbed Alley" and peek
over hedges and limestone walls, it is like you are viewing an old English
village full of storybook houses and gardens. Five years ago I flew here and
stayed at Aunt Nea's Inn and fell in love with St. George's. I always
come back to Aunt Nea's Inn to visit, even when cruising, so I can step
through the moon gate in the yard... and make a wish for another return
visit. It's worked four times since!
(More about Aunt Nea's under Guest Houses)
Aunt Nea's Inn
Making a wish under the Moon Gate
Many
other interesting museums and historical sights are within a short walking
distance of your ship while docked at St. George.
From King's Square, head east along King Street, turn left on Bridge
Street and you'll come to:
4. Bridge
House.
The
Bridge House, behind King's Square, is now an art gallery.
Constructed of wood in the 1690s,
and rebuilt in stone in the early 1700s,
this was once the home of several governors of Bermuda.
It's named Bridge
House because there was a small tidal creek nearby, over which a bridge was
built.
It's furnished with 18th- and
19th-century antiques and houses apartments, an art gallery and souvenir
shop.
Some of the most important people in Bermuda's history lived here. One of
them was Robert Dinwiddie, the governor of Virginia before the American
Revolution. Another was Bridger Goodrich of Virginia, who remained loyal to
the Crown, fled to Bermuda during the Revolution and took to sea as a
privateer (privately-owned government-sanctioned attack ship). Now
owned by the Bermuda National Trust, the front of this early-17th-century
building has been opened to the public as an art gallery.
Return to King Street and continue east to the:
5. Old State
House.
Behind the Town Hall
(at the top of King Street) on Princess Street,
is Bermuda's oldest stone building,
The Old State House. This Italianate-style historic building, dating from
1621, was once the home of the Bermuda Parliament. Today it's the site of
the Peppercorn Ceremony, in which the Old State House pays the government a
"rent" of one peppercorn annually. Proof that the
Bermudians steadfastly
adhere to British customs, even if, at times, that mechanical devotion
borders on absurdity:
The annual Peppercorn Ceremony, a 45-minute
spectacle, takes place in early to mid-April. The
ceremony begins around 11am with the gathering of
the Bermuda Regiment on King's Square. Then the
premier, mayor, and other dignitaries arrive, amid
the bellowing introductions of the town crier. As
soon as all the principals have taken their places,
a 17-gun salute is fired as the governor and his
wife make a grand entrance. His Excellency inspects
a military guard of honor while the Bermuda Regiment
Band plays. The stage is now set for the
presentation of the peppercorn, which sits on a
silver plate atop a velvet cushion. Payment is made
in a grand and formal manner, after which the Old
State House is immediately used for a meeting of Her
Majesty's Council.
I love those
Bermudians!
Continue your stroll down Princess Street until you come to Duke of York
Street and the entrance to:
6. Somers Garden.
Sir George
Somers' heart, the admiral of the Sea Venture, is said to have been
buried here. The gardens, opened in 1920 by the Prince of Wales, contains a
moon gate, palms and other tropical plants.
Walk through Somers Gardens and up the steps to the North Gate onto Blockade
Alley. Climb the hill to the structure known as "the folly of St. George:"
7. Unfinished Church.
This interesting Gothic structure, built in 1874, provides a wonderful view
of the village below. The cathedral was intended to replace St. Peter's
Church but it was abandoned a few years later due to lack of funds and
political conflict. The Unfinished Church sustained hurricane damage in
1926, and now is maintained by the Bermuda National Trust. The church
ruins sit up on a hill overlooking the town and creates a wonderful photo
opportunity.
With soaring stone
walls, a grassy floor, and only the sky for a roof, it's the sort of
impressive ruin that poets and painters so admire.
After viewing the cathedral, turn left onto Duke of Kent Street, which leads
down to:
8. St. George's Historical Society Museum.
Located at Featherbed Alley and
Duke of Kent Street, the museum
is housed in the 18th-century Mitchell House.
Architecturally, the house has one of the best-preserved "welcoming arms"
steps on the island.
Major Walter Mitchell, a wealthy merchant, built the home in 1731 as a gift
for his son (some say nephew).
It
was the first stone house in St. George and features 7 fireplaces. Mr.
Archer, a former slave, purchased the Mitchell House in 1842 and furnished
it with pieces from that period.
The museum has a wonderful
collection of fashion including ladies fans, clothing, snoods, hats, shoes,
and hair ornaments. Other historical items include dolls, bottles, money,
surgical tools, grandfather clock, and furniture.
Also in the Museum are a 300-year-old Bible and a letter written by George
Washington. The kitchen is a favorite of visitors
as it has the oldest on record
recipe for Bread of Cassava Root
(See Restaurants)
proudly displayed in the kitchen, along with a wealth of utensils. St.
George's Historical Society Museum is open Monday - Friday, April - November
from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, and Wednesdays only from January - March from 10:00
am - 4:00 pm. Admission: Adults, $5.00, children, $2.00.
Downstairs is the printery (also accessible from Featherbed
Alley):
9.
Featherbed Alley Printery.
The printery features a
working replica of a Gutenberg-style press invented by Johannes Gutenberg in
Germany in the 1450s, as well as early editions of island newspapers. The
beautiful cottage gardens behind the museum are also worth a visit.
Go up Featherbed Alley and straight onto Church Street. At the junction with
Broad Alley, look to your right to see:
10. Old Rectory.
The
Old Rectory is located at the head of Broad Alley, behind St. Peter's
Church.
Built in 1699, this charming cottage is another of the numerous picturesque
Bermuda’s oldest houses and may originally have had a thatched roof.
The
"welcoming arms" entrance is a lovely example of traditional Bermudian
architecture.
Acquired in 1700 by Captain George Dew, an unsuccessful privateer who became
a St. George assemblyman, The Old Rectory was never officially associated
with St. Peter’s. It acquired its current name when it became the
residence of the Rev. Alexander Richardson in the last quarter of the
eighteenth century.
Today, the Old Rectory has a fireplace, large
closets and air-conditioning in every room, along with radio, TV's, an
ironing board, a toaster-oven beach towels and a hairdryer.
This 350-year-old cottage in the quaint town of
St. George's is owned by the Bermuda National Trust and served as a B&B
until lately. NOTE: It appears that The Old Rectory is no longer
accepting guests, although tours are available.
The
house is open Wednesdays, 12-5pm, Nov-Mar only.
After seeing the Old Rectory, go through the church's backyard, opposite
Broad Alley, to reach:
11. St.
Peter's Cemetery.
In
the back of this historic
building is
its cemetery where
memorial tablets and gravestones tell their own silent, historical,
eloquent story. The grounds are peaceful and pleasant enough to catch
your breath and bask in island breezes.
In the churchyard, you'll see many
headstones, some 300 years old. The assassinated governor, Sir Richard
Sharples, was buried here.
Also in the graveyard stands a large cedar tree where the church bell was
hung, and a wall plaque by the western graveyard commemorates a small
segregated area where slaves and free blacks were buried.
12.
St. Peter's Church.
The
present church was built in 1713, with a tower added in 1814.
St. Peter’s Church, situated in appropriate loftiness above the main street
of St. George, is one of the island’s most beloved landmarks and stands on
the oldest continuously occupied church site in the New World. The
first church on the site was constructed in 1612, the year settlers arrived
from England on the Plough. Built of native cedar posts and fitted
with small windows and a thatched roof this original edifice was replaced
seven years later, in 1619, by a more permanent structure that lasted almost
a hundred years, until the hurricane of 1712. Following this disaster,
the church was again rebuilt and, utilizing salvaged materials such as cedar
beams, completed by 1713. During the next one hundred and fifty years
this early eighteenth-century structure was augmented by additions, fittings
and furniture that make St. Peter’s the culturally rich trove it is today.
In addition to outstanding cedar work, the church’s treasures include the
St. George Chalice (dated 1625-26), commemorative silver and `Hog’ money
found beneath the floorboards during restoration.
Other important
pieces in the church include a cedar Dole Cupboard, circa 1640, that held
charitable offerings for the poor and is believed to be the only one of its
type remaining in the world; the font, approximately circa 1450, was brought
to Bermuda by early sailors; the 17th century triple-decker pulpit; and the
communion table built by the original settlers in 1612.
Open daily 10am-5pm. Anglican service 11am Sundays.
Go down the massive steps of the Church and cross the street to the:
13. Bermuda National Trust Museum.
This
building has a colorful history.
Built in 1700 by Governor Samuel Day and owned by various members of the
Tucker family throughout much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,
its upper floor was occupied by a Confederate Shipping Agent during the
American Civil War. Because of the close proximity to St. George’s Harbour,
they could organized the shipment of arms, uniforms and war supplies through
the Union blockade to the South. After the war, in 1867, the dwelling became
the Globe Hotel and continued to operate as such into the twentieth century.
Today, it houses relics from the island's involvement in the American Civil
War -- from a Bermudian perspective. The building is distinctive
for both its unusual double chimneys and particularly colorful past!
Open Mon-Sat 10am-4pm. Admission $5
Go west along Duke of York Street to:
14. Barber's
Alley & Petticoat Lane.
The origin of the
street monikers is interesting because the names
reflect the whimsy or purpose of the streets.
"Barber's Alley" honors Joseph Hayne Rainey.
(See Tucker House)
Nearby is
"Petticoat Lane," also known as "Silk Alley." The name dates from the 1834
emancipation, when two former slave women who'd always wanted silk
petticoats like their former mistresses finally purchased some -- and
paraded up and down the lane to show off their new finery.
Cut through to Water Street past a small public garden called Smith's Garden
and continue west until you reach:
15. Tucker House.
Built
in the mid-1700s for a merchant who stored his wares in the cellar (a space
that now holds an archaeological exhibit), has been a museum since 1953.
This magnificent 18th-century mansion contains furniture, silver and jewelry
of the most influential Tucker family who
purchased it in 1775. His
descendents lived here until 1809.
The furnishings are true to the period when Henry Tucker, who was president
of the Governor's Council
and a key participant
in the Bermuda Gunpowder Plot, lived here. Much of the fine silver and
heirloom furniture was donated by them. As a result, the house is
essentially a tribute to this well-connected clan whose members included a
Bermudian governor, a U.S. treasurer, a Confederate navy captain, and an
Episcopal bishop..
One room is devoted to memorabilia of Joseph Hayne Rainey,
a former slave from South Carolina. Rainey fled to Bermuda with his
French wife at the outbreak of the Civil War and
set up a
barbershop in the kitchen of the Tucker House. His wife was a successful
seamstress.
They eventually
returned to South Carolina, where in 1870 he was elected to the U.S. House
of Representatives -- the first African American to serve in Congress.
An exhibit at the Tucker House explores Rainey's fascinating life story.
With the fundraising efforts of the St. George's Foundation, Barber's Alley
(named after Rainey) was the first street in St. George's to be improved
with new streetlights and brick paving.
(A
short flight of stairs leads down to the kitchen, originally a separate
building, and to an enclosed kitchen garden.)
A
Bermuda National Trust property, Admission: Adults $5, Children (6-18 years)
$2
Combination Ticket to all three Trust museums $10
End your tour across the street at:
16. Somers
Wharf - Water Street.
Somers
Wharf, a former warehouse district on the water is now a multimillion-dollar
waterfront restoration project that includes shops, restaurants, and
taverns. The coterie of shops has all of the big names from the City of
Hamilton; A. S. Coopers, the English Sports Shop, and the Crown Colony Shop.
Perhaps the parent branches in the City of Hamilton tend to be better
stocked, but Somers Wharf makes shopping a pleasure because all the island's
"name" shops are clustered together, making comparison shopping much easier.
