Historical Facts

St.James Parish Church is among the four oldest surviving churches in Barbados and is located near the site of the island's first settlement in Holetown.

When English settlers reached the island 1627 one of their first priorities was to establish a place of worship. A wooden church was erected on this site in 1628, making this the oldest piece of consecrated land in Barbados. This wooden church was replaced by a coral-stone building 60 years later, and much of that structure remains today.

Two of the the impressive features of this historic church are its mural tablets and stained glass windows.

In the northern porch of the church is a bell with the inscription - "God bless King William, 1696". This bell pre-dates the famous American Liberty bell by 56 years. It was cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, which also manufactured the Liberty Bell and the Great Bell of Big Ben.

In the burial ground are some of the oldest graves on the island. Many of the tombs are above ground, undestandable given the church's located very close to the sea.

Learn more: Anglican Church in Barbados