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Sightseeing in Nevis can be particularly rewarding; you will enjoy it best if you take your time and get some background idea of the places you are visiting and their significance. Starting from Charlestown and working outwards, various spots are taken in turn so you can get the feel of what Nevis has to offer in this department.
There is plenty of history
in Nevis and many of the buildings dotted about have lengthy
and colourful stories. The Cotton Ginnery Complex is located
in Charlestown near the water's edge. It is now a small shopping
centre keeping the traditional, colonial architecture where you
can stop off to buy local souvenirs, local artwork, visit the
art gallery or settle down for a quick bite to eat in the restaurant
near the waterfall by the lush garden. As you do this it is worth
casting your mind back to the time when farmers would bring their
cotton here to sell it. It would then be ginned, baled and be
made ready for shipment to Japan.
The Nevis Courthouse and Public Library stands in the
middle of town. It was built in 1825 and features large, white
shutters. The shutters on the top floor are always flung open
(except when it's pouring with rain). The ground floor shutters
are often used to post notices. The building is open to the public,
so feel free to have a look around inside.
On the northern fringe of Charlestown lie two important historical
buildings one of which you should explore and the other you hopefully
won't have to see the inside of. The first is steeped in historical
significance, and is a real eye-opener for the historical buffs
among you. It is the Museum of Nevis History and the birthplace
of Alexander Hamilton - a famous figure in The American
Revolution (George Washington's right hand man, no less) and
later in the machinations of late 18th Century American politics.
The museum itself covers the man and this period in significant
detail as well as providing exhibitions featuring the history
of the island, its politics, Jewish Government, indigenous people,
culture, customs, cooking, homekeeping as well as the island's
geology. The other building nearby is the site of the
Old Bath Hotel that was built in 1778 for 19th Century visitors
seeking cures in the hot mineral springs. It is the temporary
headquarters for the police in Nevis and, all being well, you
should have no cause to visit the inside.The Spring House is
closed now, but a peek at the stream behind it confirms the warm
sulphur waters still flowing.
At Belle Vue, next to Government House just south of Charlestown
is The Horatio Nelson Museum exhibiting the largest collection
of Nelson memorabilia in the New World. It documents Nevis at
the time of Nelson and his marriage to local lady Fanny Nisbett
and sets the scene with background information and an excellent
display of of artifacts from the period featuring prints, porcelain,
glass, ship models and enamels forming one of the region's best
decorative art collections. Further down the road you will pass
Fig Tree Church. Inside you will find the original entry
in the register of the historic marriage between Captain Nelson
and Ms. Nisbett dated March 11th, 1787. Historians usually become
light-headed at this point, coming face to face with this personal
chapter in the life of so great a man in such a seemingly unlikely
spot. Nice church too.
Further
east lies Montpelier Plantation where Nelson actually
got married. All that remains of the original plantation are
the estate's entrance pillars. However, a pleasant and understated
cottage-style inn lies on the same spot, very much preserving
the ambience of the area. A spirited stone's throw away (please
do not attempt this feat, as you may put one through the greenhouse)
are The Botanical Gardens of Nevis,
a rare treat. Thoughtfully designed and maintained the gardens
feature incredible displays and collections of palms, orchids,
cacti, flowering trees and shrubs displayed in a series of themes
including even a miniature Mayan temple. If your feet need a
temporary rest there's a West Indian Tea House. There is also
a gift shop.
For those of you who would really like to stretch their legs
and get out and about, the Nevis Conservation Society arranges
guided walks around the "Upper Round Road";
it was built in the 1600's to connect up all the plantations
and was used for transporting rum, molasses and sugar. There's
plenty of history and scenery on this walk and is recommended
if this kind of thing appeals to you.
Many of the Inns of Nevis are on former plantations and
in themselves are worth stopping by to appreciate their truly
wonderful settings and the original buildings that still remain.
As a group, the charm of the Inns of Nevis have no equal. They
are very special indeed and have, understandably, become the
quiet and peaceful getaways from the hustle and bustle for those
fortunate enough to find out about them. Some of the plantations
though dating back to previous centuries became disuse and fell
into a state of disrepair and have become historical points of
interest, many parts of their original brickwork still remaining.
Photo opportunities are good - a little background knowledge
helps too. Hamilton Estate can be found just north of
Government Road. Of note is the volcanic stone windmill tower
and the 19th Century steam engine. The estate fell out of use
in the early 1950's. New River Estate, some way to the
east down by Hugging Bay, was the last operating sugar mill in
Nevis. The massive machinery stands silent, the tall chimney,
the ruined great house, the sugar boiling wall and the colonnade
all still stand. Coconut Walk Estate lies down by the
sea in the same general area and of note is its beautifully symmetrical
windmill tower, fashioned by early free and slave craftsmen from
Nevis. Built by the Hugging family, it is arguably the best example
of its kind in Nevis. The Lime Kiln, right down by the
shore, has been burning coral washed up on nearby beaches in
order to make lime mortar used in the construction of many of
the stone buildings in Nevis for the last 200 years. It has withstood
the elements and the odd earthquake.
In the South of the island lies Saddle Hill, rising to 1250 feet
(415m). Upon it was built the Saddle Hill Battery, a large,
impressive fortification built in around 1740 by slave labour.
One of the three peaks on the hill is known as Nelson's Lookout
because when he wasn't busy unleashing volleys of cannonballs
at french ships he would admire the spectacular vista from here
of St. Kitts and St. Eustatius off to the North, Montserrat and
Redondo to the South and Antigua to the East. Today you can do
the same, aided by a trail punctuated with interpretive markers
informing you of the history and strategic importance of the
battery.
Nevis is the quiet sister island in the twin-island state of
St. Kilts-Nevis yet the present serenity that pervades the island
belies an interesting and colourful past. Sightseeing in Nevis
involves rediscovering this past and, as is often not the case
in more developed islands, is a thoroughly relaxing and rewarding
experience.
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